§ 21. Mr. Cyril Benceasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will give the figures, quantity and value of vegetable oils and fats produced from Colonial Territories in the past 12 months.
§ Mr. Lennox-BoydThe latest figures available are for the year ending 30th June, 1951.
2375 Exports in this period were: oilseeds and copra 922,000 tons, vegetable oils 298,000 tons, total value £80 million.
I will arrange for more detailed figures to be circulated in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
§ Mr. R. S. HudsonMay I ask my right hon. Friend whether the groundnuts scheme made any contribution to this total?
§ Mr. Lennox-BoydA very modest one, compared with that of private enterprise.
§ Mr. E. ShinwellDoes not the vast amount of material produced in the Colonial Territories, as indicated by the right hon. Gentleman, justify the colonial policy of the late Government?
§ Mr. Lennox-BoydI do not quite see the application of what the right hon. Gentleman says. The promotion and production of raw materials is obviously a highly desirable objective, in which we are all engaged. The best way to do it may well evoke a certain amount of difference of opinion.
§ Following are the details of colonial exports of vegetable oils and oilseeds:
| (i) To THE U.K., (ii) To OTHER DESTINATIONS DURING THE YEAR ENDING 30TH JUNE, 1951 | ||||
| Commodity | Year ending June, 1951 | |||
| '000 tons | £'000 | |||
| Coconut Oil | (i) | … | 18 | 1,952 |
| (ii) | … | 55 | 8,060 | |
| Palm Oil | (i) | … | 222 | 17,575 |
| (ii) | … | 3 | 320 | |
| Copra (a) | (i) | … | 59 | 3,301 |
| (ii) | … | 106 | 9,437 | |
| Groundnuts | (i) | … | 275 | 15,158 |
| Palm Kernels | (i) | … | 472 | 23,472 |
| (ii) | … | 10 | 687 |
§ Note:—(a) Excludes trade between the British West Indian Colonies.
| SUMMARY | ||||
| '000 tons | £'000 | |||
| Vegetable Oils | (i) | … | 240 | 19,527 |
| (ii) | … | 58 | 8,380 | |
| 298 | 27,907 | |||
| Copra and Oilseeds | (i) | … | 806 | 41,931 |
| (ii) | … | 116 | 10,124 | |
| 922 | 52,055 | |||
| GRAND TOTALS | … | 1,220 | 79,962 |