The Rural Voice, 1978-12, Page 40r![1p!n:
Finland,Canada
share farm problems
A representative of Finland's largest
farm co-operative said his country's eco-
nomy suffers many of the same problems
afflicting Canada and that prices for farm
machinery are lower in Canada that in
Finland where the prices have more than
tripled in the last seven years.
Leo Lamminen is part of a delegation of
79 Finnish farm machinery dealers and
farmers touring the United States and
Canada who were in Chatham recently for
a demonstration of a tractor built by
International Harvester Ltd., which was
sponsoring the tour.
Viljo Luukka, president of the co-
operative. said Finland's agriculture in-
dustry is suffering because of a shortfall in
the country's overall gross national product
undemployment which climbed to 6.1 per
cent in 1977 from 1.9 per cent in 1970,
decreased purchasing power and reduced
sales volume.
Two years of bad harvests because of
Farming Around the World a
cold weather have aggravated the situation
Luukka said.
The co-operative organization was foun-
ded in 1905 and has 200 co-operatives. Its
operations include department stores,
factories and food processing plants and it
is involved in social programs and youth
camps for its 'members' children.
Soviets predict
record grain harvest
The Soviets are expecting a grain
harvest of more than 230 million metric
tons this year, a record for the country.
The prediction of the record harvest was
made by Premier Alexei Kosygin at a
Kremlin rally marking the 61st. Anniver-
sary of the 1917 Bolshevik revolution.
The previous record harvest was in 1976
when the total yield was 223.8 million
metric tons.
Premier Kosygin made no reference to
the expected quality of the grain but
Western experts said it would not be "very
high" since water might make up a
considerable portion of the official total.
This year, both the summer and fall were
extremely wet in many grain -growing areas
of the USSR.
Decrease in number of
maritime potato growers
Maritime potato farmers have seen
many changes in their industry in the last
10 to 20 years. Agriculture Canada studies
reveal some of the trends.
More than 40 per cent of Canada's
potato crop now is grown in Prince Edward
Island and New Brunswick. In the past 15
years, potatoes have become more im-
portant to the agricultural economy of the
two provinces and now account for about 40
per cent of total farm cash receipts.
Between 1961 and 1976 the number of
growers decreased from about 14,000 to
2.100 and of these 1.250 accounted for
more than 90 per cent of the total acreage.
The total acreage seeded to potatoes in the
Atlantic Provinces has increased only
slightly. But. with the reduction in the
number of growers. the average com-
merical potato farm now is about seven
times larger than in 1Qhl.
Agriculture is a "GROWING" Business
Anderson's FERTILIZER for Husky
BUY NOW results & Savings
AND SAVE
Delivery or pick up
in Spring
Now is the time to buy your
Anderson Fertilizer and save
before the spring increase
Call 529-7135 529-7700
Coffee - on the house
5o., in our 65th %ear of ser' ice:
"All OF OUR FACILITIES ARE TO
SERVE YOU BETTER"
M.J. SMITII LTd.
..d
,.h • SEED • GRAIN • ISt.A1,
PG. 40 THE RURAL VOICE/DECEMBER 1978