Annual report on the Falkland Islands and Dependencies / Colonial Office.

  • Great Britain. Colonial Office.
Date:
[1957]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Annual report on the Falkland Islands and Dependencies / Colonial Office. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    24/96 (page 18)
    Chapter 6: Production All land with the exception of some 40,000 acres remaining to the Crown, is freehold and is divided into sheep farms varying in size from 3,600 to 161,000 acres and carrying up to 33,000 sheep, approxi¬ mately one sheep to every five acres. The Falkland Islands Company, Limited, which owns a number of farms, holds freehold land amounting to approximately 1,229,000 acres and carrying 269,966 sheep. Crown land may be rented. Resources at present undeveloped are the extensive kelp (macro- cystis) beds, whales which are found in the surrounding waters, deep sea fishing and sealing. AGRICULTURE AND ANIMAL HUSBANDRY No crops are grown in the Colony, with the exception of a limited supply of oaten hay. The Agricultural Department is administered by the Agricultural Officer, two Agricultural and Livestock Assistants, one clerk and two labourers. The policy of the Agricultural Department is: (i) to co-operate with sheep farmers in maintaining a high standard of health in their flocks by combating and pre¬ venting disease; (ii) to control the importation of livestock and agricultural products; (iii) to advise stock owners in all matters connected with animal husbandry; (iv) to collect and produce agricultural and livestock statistics. In 1956 the Colony had 608,882 sheep, 12,168 cattle, 3,040 horses and 60 swine. The numbers in 1957 were 619,584, 12,392, 3,103 and 121 respectively. Sheep and cattle are distributed among farms in the East and West Falklands. Methods of keeping livestock are uniform through¬ out the Colony. The average weight of wool exported over the last four years was 4,448,102 lb. The wool clips in 1956 and 1957 were exported through the medium of the Falkland Islands Company, Limited. No dairy produce was exported. An occasional shipment of mutton was made to the whaling establishments in South Georgia and some sheep were sold to meat freezing plants in Southern Chile. The Colony is self-supporting in mutton and beef, supplies for Stanley being obtained from various settlements. Three small dairies in Stanley supply milk to the town. Farms in the Camp have their own cows. Details of exports of livestock products are given on page 17.