§ 38. Mr. Sorensenasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies the prices paid to West African and West Indian cocoa growers in 1938 and 1943; the respective quantities available and purchased from those sources and for those dates; to which markets bulk supplies were allocated; whether any was destroyed in 1943; and whether any developments or changes in control are likely to take place now, or at the end of the war.
§ Colonel StanleyAs the answer to the first four parts of this Question involves a number of figures, I shall circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT. I am not at pre-
| West African and West Indian Cocoa, 1938 and 1943. | |||
| West Africa. | West Indies. | ||
| 1937–1938. | 1942–3. | 1938. | 1943. |
| 1st October to 31st Sept. | |||
| (1) Prices— | |||
| (a) Gold Coast: Average£14 5s. 0d. per ton naked ex scale port of shipment. | £13 1s. 4d. per ton naked ex scale port of shipment. | Not available | 46s. 6d. to 66s. per 50 kilos f.o.b. |
| (b) Nigeria: Average£17 10s. per ton Grade I,£17 0s. 0d. Grade II naked ex scale port of shipment. | £13 per ton Grade I,£2 10s. Grade II naked ex scale port of shipment. | ||
| (2) Quantities available— | |||
| (a) Gold Coast: 230,000 tons | 207,000 tons | 26,088 tons | Figures not available. |
| (b) Nigeria: 85,000 tons | 110,000 tons | ||
| (3) Quantities purchased— | |||
| Total available | Total available | Total available | Total available |
| (4) Allocation of exports— | |||
| About 1/3rd to U.K. and Dominions; under 1/2 to rest of Europe and other markets; remainder to U.S. | About 3/5ths of quantities shipped to U.K. and Dominions nearly 1/3rd to U.S.; balance to other destinations including U.S.S.R. | Approx. 1/3rd to U.S. 1/4 to Canada; 1/8 to U.K.; balance to Europe, S. Africa and Australasia. | Bulk to U.S. and Canada; small quantities to U.K. |
| (5) Quantity destroyed—Nil | Approx. 60,000 tons | Nil | Nil |