Condition of Indian Agriculture. 



extension of canals in that province, where wheat is largely 

 an irrigated crop. As canal irrigation advances further the 

 wheat area of the Panjab will probably increase still more. 

 Elsewhere it is not considered likely that it will expand 

 rapidly to the exclusion of other food crops, unless high 

 prices in Europe or failure of European supplies from other 

 sources create a new export demand in India. It is observed 

 that when, or if, prices of wheat in London rule generally at 

 28s. a quarter or upwards, India is likely to send wheat to 

 England, provided freights keep low; but that with India's 

 increasing population, and the advanced home demand there, 

 her exports of wheat are not likely to reach the high level ot 

 1891-92, unless circumstances change greatly. 



The shrinkage of India's wheat exports is said to be 

 probably due in part to the fall in European prices since 

 1891-92 ; partly to short harvests in some of the wheat-grow- 

 ing provinces such as Chutteesgarh : and partly to the 

 demands from other provinces. A notable case of such a 

 demand arising within India occurred in 1894-95, when the 

 North- West Provinces and Oudh drew large supplies of 

 wheat from the Panjab to meet deficiencies caused by short 

 harvests. It is doubtful whether the partial rise in the gold 

 value of the rupee, due to the closing of the Indian mints in 

 1893, has had any appreciable effect on India's export trade 

 in wheat. If freights had not ruled very low, and if the 

 exchange value of the rupee had not been far below the old 

 ^so called) par value of ten rupees to the pound, Indian wheat 

 could hardly have come to Europe at the prices of 1893-96. 



