§ 18. Mr. Turtonasked the Minister of Food if he will give details of the £49 million of cereals, including cereal feedingstuffs, sold for delivery abroad during the year ended 31st March, 1948, showing the amounts sold to each country.
§ Mr. StracheyAs the answer contains a number of figures I will, with permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT. The hon. Member should note that virtually all the grains were intended for human consumption.
§ Mr. TurtonCan the Minister give an assurance that these sales were effected at a profit and not at a loss?
§ Mr. StracheyI must have notice of that financial question. Some would be subject to subsidy and some not.
§ Following is the information:
| Destination | Quantity | Value |
| Tons | £ | |
| Crown Agents for the Colonies. | 791,000 | 25,009,000 |
| Middle East and Oil Companies. | 32,000 | 923,000 |
| Services Overseas, War Office Civil Affairs Admiralty and N.A.A.F.I. | 151,000 | 4,332,000 |
| Egypt | 172,000 | 5,156,000 |
| France | 8,000 | 262,000 |
| Germany | 158,000 | 5,945,000 |
| Saudi Arabia | 9,000 | 236,000 |
| Sudan | 7,000 | 209,000 |
| Eirc | 5,000 | 124,000 |
| India | 229,000 | 6,269,000 |
| Iraq | 18,000 | 655,000 |
| Burma | 15,000 | 487,000 |
| Southern Rhodesia | 8,000 | 132,000 |
| Private Traders | 1,000 | 44,000 |
| TOTAL | 1,604,000 | 49,783,000 |
§ Of the total quantity of 1,604,000 tons little over 1,000 tons were delivered out of United Kingdom stocks. The remainder were purchases for countries for which 868 we had procurement responsibility or acted as purchasing agents.
§ Of the total of £49 million, wheat and flour account for about 84 per cent., maize for 6 per cent., barley for 4½ per cent., and rye and oats together for 1½ per cent. Virtually all these grains were intended for human consumption.