ENG-1953 — Page 79

PRODUCTION

Agricultural Conditions in 1953. Weather conditions were optimum in the early part of the season and yields for the first rice crop were well above the average. A drought period in the early days of the second rice crop followed by typhoon periods lowered yields a little below the average. The second rice crop and water chestnuts in exposed areas suffered damage from flooding and salt water. An outbreak of army worm, just before the harvest of the second rice crop, assumed serious proportions but was successfully controlled. The unusual weather towards the close of the year, of alternate cold and warm spells, has had some effect on vegetable and flower production but on the whole farmers have had a fair to good year with reasonable prices for most farm produce.

Animal Husbandry

All the best land is devoted to high yield per acre food crops and the hill country is too steep for grazing and too small in area to support grazing animals. In consequence, there is very little dairy farming and beef and sheep are not raised in the Colony. Local cattle are bred and used for draught purposes, for ploughing and cultivation but not for transport. The local cattle are small, compact and hardy beasts, highly suitable for work on the small terraced fields of the Colony. Considerable numbers of pigs and poultry are raised on farms or by special breeders and the breeding of ducks, geese, turkeys, rabbits and quail is on the increase. Important livestock numbers as recorded on the 31st December, 1953, were:-

Cattle

Buffalo

10,129

Pig

Poultry

Milk Production

57

983

45,500

315,000

7,530,357 lbs.