9. Mr. Creech Jonesasked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether the scheme in Kenya for extending control and guaranteed prices to African-grown maize has yet been completed; if so, what are the details of it and how does it compare with guaranteed prices for non-native grown maize?
§ Mr. Harold MacmillanYes, Sir. The price for African-grown maize in bulk has been fixed at 4s. and 90 cents per 200 lbs. at the marketing centres. In addition, a sum of 75 cents per 200 lbs. will be set aside from the profits of the Maize Control Board and paid into a special fund for the benefit of the African producers. If the Board's profits are insufficient for this purpose, the amount required will be met from the general revenues of Kenya. The price paid to the African producer is exclusive of an allowance of 50 cents per bag paid to traders for handling the maize to the railway. Together with this allowance and the 75 cents set aside in the manner indicated, it is equivalent to the non-native price of 9s. per 200 lbs., after account is taken of the fact that non-native maize is of higher quality and so commands a small premium of about 50 cents per 200 lb. and that the non-native producer himself meets the cost of storage, cleaning, bagging and transport to rail.
Mr. Creech JonesDo I understand from that answer that the only discrimination is on account of quality, and not on account of the source of production?
§ Mr. MacmillanAs my answer indicates, the prices are, with all those considerations, roughly the same, with the exception of the 75 cents which it has been decided to withhold to form a special fund for the benefit of African producers as a whole.