294 



[July, 



Part III of the Agricultural Statistics for 1920, which deals 

 with the Prices and Supplies of Agicultural Produce duruig last 



Prices and SuppUesy^^f' ^'f '^^^^'''''^'y * 



of Agricultural -Ueport refers to the continuance in 



Produce in 1920. ^^^^ ^^^^ ^^^^^ ^^^'"^ pioduce 



and of farm requisites which has been a 

 feature of agriculture since the outbreak of war in 1914. In the 

 case of certain commodities such as barley, oats, milk, cheese, 

 potatoes and hay the maximum was reached in the early months 

 of the year, and was followed by a substantial decline, whilst 

 the prices of live stock and meat tended to rise. Feeding stuffs 

 were only obtainable at very high prices during the greater part 

 of the year, though in November and December a fall took place, 

 and the prices of fertilisers were generally higher in 1920 than 

 in 1919. On the average the prices of agricultural produce were 

 22 per cent, higher than in 1919 and some 192 per cent, above 

 the mean of the three years 1911-13, while feeding stuffs were 

 about 173 per cent, and fertihsers about 159 per cent, above the 

 pre-war level. The average increase in the cash wages of agri- 

 cultural labourers since the beginning of the War cannot be less 

 than 180 to 190 per cent. 



The general inference drawn from these figures is that while 

 the gross agricultural receipts from sales of produce must have 

 grown substantially, there has also been on the other side of 

 the account a great increase in the cost of production. Part of 

 the increased receipts must have been absorbed by the increased 

 outlay on feeding stuffs, fertilisers, machinery, implements and 

 seeds, in addition to the higher cost of labour, both regular and 

 temporary. Other charges which have to be met out of receipts 

 include interest on capital, rent and local rates. 



The balance remaining after meeting, all charges represents 

 the remuneration for the labour, skill and experience of the 

 occupiers of the 400,000 holdings in England and Wales. What 

 is the extent of this balance cannot be estimated, but it need not 

 be disputed that during the last six years farming has been more 

 profitable than it was before the War. Formerly it was one of 

 the least remunerative of occupations, and just as the wages of 

 farm workers were unduly and unreasonably low. so the net 

 return obtained bv a substantial proportion of occupiers was 

 relatively far less than the profits obtained in other industries 

 involving the investment of similar capital. 



The Report deals in detail with the prices and supplies of the 



* Agricultural Statistics, 1920, Vol. LV, Part III, obtainable froii! H.M. 

 Stationery Oflfice, Kingsway, W.C.2. 



