Reports on Foreign Crops. 



ioi 



average, it may be taken that the yield for the province 

 will not be more than about 56 per cent, of an average crop 

 — perhaps it may be put at about three- fifths of an average. 

 In Bengal the yield was estimated at about two-thirds of 

 the average, say, 66 per cent. 



On the whole, therefore, these three provinces of Northern 

 India will not have any large surplus of wheat for sale 

 outside India. The conditions in these tracts, however, 

 compared favourably with those of Central and Western 

 India, where, roughly, only half the average area was sown, 

 and on that reduced area the yield was expected to be far 

 below the average. 



The following paragraphs summarise the provincial 

 reports which had been received : — 



In the Panjab the area sown with wheat is estimated at 

 6,001,800 acres, which is 891,600 acres (nearly 13 per cent.) 

 below the area sown in 1895-96. Though the winter rains 

 were late, they were generally copious and well distributed. 

 They induced additional sowings in some districts and 

 also immensely improved the prospects of the crop through- 

 out the province. 



In the North -Western Provinces and Oudh the area 

 sown is reported to be 70 per cent, of the average. The 

 prospects of the crop generally were, however, everywhere 

 good, and, with a continuation of favourable conditions, the 

 yield was expected to turn out more than 80 per cent, of a 

 full average crop on the reduced area sown. 



In Bengal the area is estimated at 1,234,500 acres, being 

 about 1 2*7 per cent, smaller than the area of 1895-96 and 

 14*3 per cent, below the average. The outturn was reported 

 at the end of January to be between ten and eleven annas, 

 or two-thirds of an average crop, which is much the same 

 as was obtained last year. In the Patna and Bhagalpur 

 Divisions, which contain about five-sixths of the whole wheat- 

 growing area, a twelve and a nine-anna crop respectively 

 were expected, but elsewhere there will be less than half an 

 average crop. 



In the Central Provinces about 2,036,000 acres, being half 

 the average, had been placed under wheat. This area is 



