16 



WHEAT PRODUCTION IN NEW ZEALAND 



account of her rich virgin soil and temperate climate. 

 Her importance as a wheat-growing country has doubled 

 during the last decade, and is likely to increase still 

 further at a rapid rate on account of ever increasing 

 efficiency in production. 



The area for the production of wheat in Australia 

 is considerable; but distance from a foreign market 

 diminishes the importance of this area. Nevertheless, 

 considerable quantities are exported at a time when the 

 new crops in the Northern Hemisphere are still growing, 

 and consequently Australasia occupies a position of some 

 importance among wheat growing countries of the 

 world. 



From a survey of the areas it will be seen that by far 

 the majority are situated north of the Equator, and of 

 these the greatest is in Europe. Official* figures show 

 that the Northern Hemisphere produces about 95 per 

 cent, of the World's wheat crop, while Europe itself 

 produces over 50 per cent. The following table will 

 show clearly the principal countries and their order of 

 importance for the last decade : 



TABLE IV. 



Annual Average Production of Wheat in each Country During 

 the Years 1910-14. 



Country. Production in 



Million Bushels. 



*The International Institute of Agriculture, Eome. 



