54 -Lincaster Farming. Saturday. March 29. 1975 By John B. Parker, Jr. Foreign Demand and Competition Division Economic Research Service, USD A Faced with the realities of a sharply reduced 1974-75 foodgrain crop and a precarious stock position, India has mounted a massive wheat import effort, in the process nearly tripling its wheat purchases from the United States. So great and so rapid has been the ex pansion, in fact, that India in fiscal 1975 may take some $BOO million of U.S. farm products and in calendar 1975 come close to being a billion dollar U.S. farm market. And in contrast to the 1960’5, when such trade was largely on a con cessional basis, over 85 percent of it this year is SEE LISTING OF PUBLIC SALE ON PAGE 67 SATURDAY, APRIL 12 - 10 A.M. RAIN or SHINE Located on PARK STREET in DOVER, PA. - Off Route 74. BALER TWINE 9000 ft. *27.75 A SALE PLASTIC *19.00 STRALEY FARM SUPPLY, INC. Phone (717) 292-2631 or (717) 292-4443 *'k'k+'k'k'k+ y k+rk'k'k'k'k'kir'kir'kiritiir'k'k'kir'k'kit WENGER S SPECIALS BALER TWINE BARBED WIRE 4 “ *27.19 I2 'lowa^pe 4Pt *29.50 TRACTOR TIRES MEN’S “.sap* ’20.37 ijj BICYCLES 10-Speed 2-Sizes STF C AA 6 Colors WE ARE EXPANDING OUR PARTS DEPARTMENT TO FILL YOUR FARM NEEDS. STOP IN OR CALL LARRY - PARTS DEPT. WENGER’S FARM MACHINERY South Race St. Mverstown Pa. Ph 717-866-2138 expected to be for cash. The United States will thus become India's leading agricultural supplier in fiscal 1975, and India will become this country's largest single commercial market for wheat. Last season, India ranked fourth as a U.S. wheat market behind the People’s Republic of China, Japan, and the Soviet Union. These large wheat imports come at a time of concern over another import • oil - which already has cost India much in terms of foreign exchange, domestic in flation, and scarcity of raw materials for fertilizer and pesticide manufacture. But since the initial shock of the 1973 increase in oil prices, its effects have increasingly been assuaged by greater LET US FILL YOUR FARM TIRE NEEDS WIDE VARIETY OF SIZES AVAILABLE FRONT AND REAR TRACTOR TIRES AND IMPLEMENT TIRES foreign exchange earnings for India’s exports - in cluding sugar • and by special arrangements to help India foot its oil import bill. Such efforts have allowed India to purchase the foodgrain needed to get it through the current tight situation. In fact, India in fiscal 1975 will spend about $7OO million for U.S. wheat imports alone, as the United States boosts exports there to about 4.6 million metric tons from the 1.6 million tons shipped in fiscal 1974. This pickup in trade, following a precipitous drop in late 1971 through March 1973, began in the spring of 1973, with the heaviest purchases made since mid -1974. Subsequently, U.S. wheat has been moving to India at the rate of about 85,000 tons a week - a pace expected to continue until India begins rebuilding stocks virtually wiped out in the past few years of poor crops and'reduced imports. Of the estimate for fiscal 1975.2.2 million tons already had been shipped in July- December and 1.5 million purchased then for early 1975 delivery. Subsequent cash sales have lifted 1974-75 export commitments to more than 4.6 million tons. India will get another 2.6 million or so tons from other suppliers - mainly the European Community, Argentina, Canada, and Australia - for a total fiscal 1975 wheat import of possibly 7.2 million tons. This is nearly double the 3.7 million total imported in fiscal 1974 and not too far off the 7.8 million peak reached in the severe drought year of 1966. Virtually all of these Imports arc being made by the Pood Corporation of India (PCI), which is responsible for grain distribution to Government operated fair-price shops in urban centers, and oc casionally in drought stricken rural areas. Private firms arc not allowed to import grain into India if payment in foreign exchange is necessary. In addition to the wheat purchases, India will take its usual amount of Nepalese rice - between 200,000 and 400,000 tons annually - depending on the size of Nepal's crop. There is a flourishing border trade in this product, with farmers and marketing cooperatives in Nepal accepting Indian rupees as payment for their deliveries of rice to border towns. Rice purchases on the world market, on the other hand, have been virtually nil recently, owing to the much higher prices for this product than for wheat. However, prospects for rice imports from Pakistan and Thailand in 1975 have been discussed in trade talks with Indian officials. Sales of more In dian industrial products to these countries could, in fact, trigger considerable imports of rice. India also imports some coarse grains, although these purchases have waned recently as wheat has gained ascendancy. In fiscal 1974, India imported over a Economical Price Because Push-Button Automatic Cleaning. Heavy Duty Compressors with Ail Needed Accessories. Many Extras Included on Tanks. Highest Quality Material. Foam Insulated - If you can bulge the front of your tank in & out it’s not foamed in place. Come in, Write or Phone for Full Information! MARVIN J. HORST DAIRY EQUIPMENT R.D.I (IONA) Phone 717-272-0871 LEBANON, PA Located on Rt. 897 Between Schaefferstown & Lebanon Zero Dealer for over 20 Years million ions of sorghum, almost all of it coming froi about two-thirds of It from Argentina, the United States. liss than This decline reflects half as much will likely be preference among mot purchased in fiscal 1975, with |ConUnu«d on f«i 55| AVAILABLE LIQUID NITROGEN FOR PLOWDOWN AND TOP DRESSING MEADOWS AND GRAIN FIELDS. We have modern equipment to give you dependable and accurate service. RICHARD R.FORRY and SON 2020 Horseshoe Rd. Ph. 717-397-0035 Lancaster Penna. I t' Spmy ltl f a Ze/io- TANK 9 im isi
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