23 JULY 1942, Page 13

LAND AFTER THE WAR

Snt,—In your issue of July 17th Professor Orwin makes a sweeping statement regarding the presen' controlled prices fot farm produce. "Prices for produce have been fixed at figures which represent cent. per cent. profit for the more efficient amongst the farming community." This will be understood by the public as applying to all efficient farmers and to all classes of produce, and it is not true.

To justify such a statement, efficient farmers generally, on the total results of the year's working, must be shown to be making too per cent. per annum on their capital.

I believe Leeds University, prior to the war, annually audited the accounts of several well-farmed farms in Yorkshire and published figures of profit. If it is still doing so, will Professor Orwin quote the results for the last two years, or otherwise substantiate his statement by figures from some impartial authoritative source?—Yours faithfully,