The State of Food and Agriculture, 1952

THE oTATE OF FOOD A ji cucruiri, 0 REVIEW AND OUTLOOK 1952 FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS ROME, ITALY OCTOBER 1952 FAO STATISTICAL YEARBOOKS Yr:P=3,7=3 OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS, 1947, 1948, 1949, 1950, 1951 I- PRODUCTION II- TRADE These two-volume yearbooks continue the statistical series begun by the International Institute of Agriculture which was absorbed into FAO in 1946.The volumes on Production contain statistical data on crops and livestock numbers and the Trade volumes (publication started in 1948) present statisticalinformation on international trade in the major agricultural products of the world.Production 1947 covers the years 1940/41 to 1945/46, as well as prewar averages for crops and livestock products ; Production 1948 covers 1946/47 and adds figures on total population by countries and on persons engaged in agricultural occupations ; Trade 1950 contains statistics and notes covering the years 1946, 1947 1948 and 1949, compared with an average for earlier years.The volume on Trade 1951 contains new figures for 1950 and the latest revised data for the years 1947, 1948 and 1949, compared with the prewar (1934-38) average.The 1952 volumes are now in preparation. Bilingual English/French, with notes and glossary in Spanish.Per volume $3.5017/6 YEARBOOKS OF FISHERIES STATISTICS, 1947, 1948-49 The statistical coverage begins with 1938 and ends with 1949.For identification of species a nomenclature section lists scientific and common names by country.1948-49, the second yearbook, continues and expands the data published in 1947, which were supplemented throughout 1948 and 1949 by statistics published in FAO Fisheries Bulletin.In addition to the above, the 1950-51 volume is now in preparation. Bilingual English/French, with Spanish supplement.Per volume $3.5017/6 YrikEGOOKS OF FOREST PRODUCTS STATISTICS, 1947, 1948, 1949, 1950, 1951 Yearbooks of international forest products statistics including notes on the present salient features of the current world situation.1948 contains information on world output, imports, exports, and consumption of forest products for the years 1946 and 1947 reported by over 100 countries and territories ; 1950 covers the years 1948 and 1949. The 1952 volume is now in preparation. Bilingual English/French, with Spanish supplement. Per volume $2.50 12/6 REPORT ON THE ACTIVITIES OF FAO u DamTHE EXPANDED TECHIALCAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM for the First Financial Period, 1950-1951 and Outline of Activities for 1952 This report contains chapters on selectedprojects, a statistical summary of ETAP activities, regional activities and activities in various countries, policies and plans and a statistical summary for 1952.With photographs. In English, French and Spanish.$1.005/- CL 16/2 THE STATE OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE REVIEW AND OUTLOOK-1952 FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS ROME - 1952 NOTE The statisticalmaterialinthispublicationhas been prepared from such information as has been available to FAO staff not later than 30 July 1952 Printed inItaly Advance Printing September 1952 Final Printing October 1952 CONTENTS FOREWORD 1 Chapter I.Summary . ..... .. 5 ChapterII.World Review and Outlook Agricultural Production, Trade and Consumption in 1951/52 . ....... 13 The Demand Situation in 1951/52. ..... 18 Production and Supply Prospects for 1952/53 30 The Demand Outlook 1952-54 31 The Long-Term Food Situation 34 Ag ricu lturalI nvestment 37 Chapter IILRegional Review and Outlook Europe (excluding Eastern Europe and the U.S.S R ) 45 Eastern Europe and the U.S.S.R. ...... 50 North America (U.S.A. and Canada) 52 Latin America 58 Africa 63 The Near East. 66 The Far East. 70 Oceania (Australia and New Zealand) 75 Chapter IV.Review and Outlook by Commodities Wheat 81 Coarse Grains 85 Rice 86 Sugar 88 Livestock Products 90 Fisheries Products 93 Fats, Oils and Oilseeds 97 Fruit (Citrus) 99 Fruit (Dried) 101 Coffee. 102 Tea 103 Cocoa 104 Tobacco 105 Cotton . ....... 107 Wool 110 Jute.. 113 Rubber 115 Forest Products (Roundwood) 116 Forest Products (Sawn Wood) 117 Forest Products (Wood Pulp) 118 Fertilizers 120 Pesticides 123 Farm Machinery 123 Fisheries Equipment 126 In Charts Recent Increasesin Food Production above Prewar. 12 II Postwar Increase in Food Production . 14 III Per Caput Food Consumption Prewar. 20 IV Per Caput Food Consumption Postwar (1950/51) 21 V Industrial Production in Selected Countries . 22 VI, VII Agricultural Wholesale Prices in Selected Countries. 24 VIII, IX General Wholesale Prices in Selected Countries 25 X, XI Wholesale Price Indices : Ratio of Agricultural PricestoallPrices in Selected Countries 27 XII- XX Population and Food or AgriculturalProduction, Prewar and Postwar Europe 46 United States . 53 Canada . 54 Latin America . 58,59 Africa 63 Near East. 68 Far East. 70 Oceania. 76 XXI Cotton Prices, Postwar. 109 XXII Wool Pricesat Auctions, Postwar 112 XXIII Prices of Various Forest Products (1949-52) . 119 iv FOREWORD puttingthislatestreview of the State of Food and Agriculture before our -.Member Gov- ernments and the general public,I feelit my duty to recall once more the unanimous reso- Inlution of FAO Member Governments,adoptedat the Sixth Sessionof the Conference, to try by every means for "a well-balanced increase of one or two percent per annum in world production of basic food and other essential agricultural products in excess of the rate of population growth". Looking over the past year's results,thereis some reason for satisfaction, as total agricultural production has increased by about two percent over the previous year.However, the greater part of the gain was made in products other than food, notably fibers and rubber, and food production alone increased by only one percent.Gratifying as these increases may be, they reveal the need for government planning to take full account of the possible interferences from changing world-market conditions which, if uncountered by adequate incentive policies and other measures, may divert productive resources from the most essential to the most profitable.The expansion of world food production by one percent from 1950/51 to 1951/52 has only barely kept abreast with the rate of population growth and we are thus stillfar below the rate of increase required for essential improvements in the diet of the large majority of the world population.In addition, beca,use of the uneven regional distribu- tion of productive achievements, the need for more rapid expansion in some regions is even much greater than the global figures reveal. On the technical side, it is encouraging to note that the generosity of the economically more ad- vanced countries has enabled the community of nations to undertake a co-operative effort of sharing their technical skill and knowledge for the benefit of all, in the Expanded Technical Assistance Pro- gram of the United Nations.Recognizing the basic necessity of first developing the agricultural resources of the more backward areas of the world, the largest single share of the available funds hasbeen allocated to FAO, and our work in this field is reported in another document *. But technical assistance is only the first step towards higher production.While there are many instances in which countries have put to good use the newly acquired technical knowledge without considerable capital expenditure, the fullest advantage from this new program can only be achieved if international co-operation in the financial field is stepped up simultaneously with the expanded technical assistance.Within the framework of its charter and resources, the International Bank for Recon- struction and Development is helping the financing of agricultural development programs.Yet, not all such programs can be financed at the cost of a regular bank credit.Low-cost credit and international grants-in-aid could contribute immensely to implementing some of the major agricultural development projects.I am following with interest the current attempts in the United Nations to find ways of providing these, and thus of giving the -Member Governments of FAO increased and better opportunities in their endeavor to increase the output of agriculture. Moreover, technical help may easily be frustrated if we do not succeed in securing permanent stable markets at adequate prices for the increased production, while at the same time maintaining the flexibility required or meeting major changes in the general price level, in production techniques and in the conditions of demand.The need for such flexibility, no doubt, complicates the adoption of national and international stabilization measures.None the less, our efforts must be directed toward overcom- ing these difficulties and toward developing an adequate groundwork of carefully planned stabilization, to provide the needed security. * Activities of FAO under the Expanded Technical Assistance Program 1950-1952, Rome, May 1952. The picture of world trade in agricultural products remains clouded with difficulties. The exchange and trading difficulties mentioned in my report last year have increased and once again the dollar short- age is putting obstacles in the flow of international trade.It will require the concerted effort and good will of all nations for finding ways and means to prevent the recurrence of these difficulties, which im- pede so greatly the task of expanding the world's food supply. Again this year, I am submitting the review and outlook of agriculture against the background of the more general trends in world economy.The

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