§ 58. Mr. Dyeasked the Minister of Food what has been the total production of sugar beet pulp in this country during the past five years; what has been the price charged to farmers; and what has been the value to the country of this product as feeding-stuff for the dairy farmer and beef producer.
§ Sir B. SmithAs the reply is rather long and contains a number of figures, I will, with his permission, circulate it in the Official Report.
§ Following is the reply:
§ The total production of plain and molassed dried sugar beet pulp in this country during the last five years has been:
| Season | Production Tons |
| 1940–41 | 285,020 |
| 1941–42 | 246,106 |
| 1942–43 | 304.433 |
| 1943–44 | 292,923 |
| 1944–45 | 235,517 |
§ A quantity of pulp was sold in its wet condition but the weight of this has been converted to the corresponding dried weight figure for inclusion in the above quantities. The prices charged to farmers vary according to the factory at which 1283 the pulp is produced. In the year 1940–41 prices ex factory ranged from £6 is. od. to £6 11s. od. per ton gross weight, bags included, and the present prices range from £6 7s. 6d. to £7 2s. 6d. per ton gross weight, bags included.
§ As to the last part of the Question, sugar beet pulp is not, in itself, a balanced food and it would be difficult to express the value of the foregoing quantities of pulp in terms of output of milk or beef, but when used with other feeding stuffs to form a balanced diet for dairy cows one ton of pulp would equal the value of one ton of oats or, when used in a ration for feeding to fattening cattle, one ton of pulp would equal seven to eight tons of roots.