DESCRIBING GRAPH

The graph below shows the area of land from which grain was harvested. Write a
report for a university lecturer describing the information in the graph.

You should write at least 150 words.

Figure 1 World grain hardvested area, 1950-96

The line graph gives data on the grain harvesting areas worldwide over a period
of 46 years, commencing from 1950. As an overall trend, the area of land in which
the seed was cultivated throughout the world increased during the period and land
programmes initiated by the USSR, grain price increase and retrenchment affected
the land area in which farmers grew the crops. As can be seen from the given line
graph, just below 600 million hectares of the land area was used to grow different
grains in 1950 and the USSR Virgin land programme initiation positively affected the
total lands devoted to cultivating grains. This programme was initiated around 1955
and as a result, the total cultivable lands increased to around 650 million hectares in
1960. In the next ten years, the total grain harvesting lands gradually increased with
some minor fluctuations. The grain price doubles in 1975 and due to this the land for
grain harvesting also soared to the peak with approximately 750 million hectares.
The retrenchment affected negatively to the land area for grain harvesting and
reduced the land to around 700 million hectares in 1990. With some oscillations, the
total grain harvesting lands stood at just over 700 million hectares after 1990.