HC Deb 08 December 1947 vol 445 cc770-2
40. Mr. Sparks

asked the Minister of Food from what countries wheat was imported in 1938, 1946, and to the nearest convenient date in 1947, stating the quantities received from each and the average consumption of bread per head of the population in those years.

A.—IMPORTS OF WHEAT: ANNUAL AVERAGE 1934–1938, CALENDAR YEARS 1938 AND 1946, AND JANUARY-OCTOBER, 1947.
Quantities (thousand tons).
Source of Supply. Thousand Tons. 1934–1938 Annual Average. Tons. 1938. Thousand Tons. 1946. Thousand Tons. January-October, 1947.
Australia 1,160.0 1,549,761
British India and Burma 142.5 219,856
Canada 1,935.0 1,441,526 2,885.7 2,965.0
Union South Africa and I.W. Territory. 3.9
Other British Countries 0.5 1
Argentina 800.7 290,533 111.5 358.2
Belgium 36.0 49,257
Bulgaria 17.1 686
Czechoslovakia 3.0
Denmark (including Faroe Islands 3.6 1
France 159.4 62,344
Germany 26.2 13
Hungary 7.2
Iran 4.2
Iraq 10.4 300
Latvia 2.9
Lithuania 14.8
Morocco 6.0
Netherlands 21.5 10,181
Poland 20.6
Portugal 14.3
Roumania 137.2 180,318
Soviet Union 268.4 477,155
Sweden 19.8 6
Uruguay 7.8 5,931
United States of America 200.7 790,264 392.4 336.6
Yugoslavia 6.0 2,875
Other Foreign Countries 1.4 310 22.4 (a)
Total 5,031.1 5,081,318 3,389.6 3,682.2
(Abstracts from the Annual Statement of Trade of the United Kingdom and from accounts relating to Trade and Navigation of the United Kingdom.)
(a) Other information indicates that this quantity was imported from Turkey.
B.—CONSUMPTION. No figures of bread consumption are available for pre-war years, so for purposes of comparison I propose to give figures for flour. The average consumption of flour in all forms, including bread, cakes, etc., per head of the civilian population, is estimated as follows:
1934–1938 Average. 1946. Year to June, 147 (a).
Civilian consumption of flour in lb. Per head per year 194.5 221.3 219.1
In oz. per head per week 59.8 68.1 67.4
(a) The latest available figures of consumption are for the year ended June 30th, 1947.
Mr. Strachey

As the answer is long and detailed I will, with permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Following is the answer: