§ 28. Mr. Sorensenasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies the production of groundnuts in Nigeria during the past two years; how much of this has been stored because of transport difficulties; and the estimated percentage of deterioration and financial loss through prolonged storage.
§ Mr. HopkinsonProduction of groundnuts for export in the two years 1949–50 and 1950–51 together totalled 330,000 tons, none of which was stored for an undue period because of transport difficulties. No deterioration or losses occurred.
Production in the current season is estimated at the unusually high figure of 420,000 tons and there will probably be a substantial carry-over at the end of the year. My right hon. Friend intends to look into this matter himself when he is in Nigeria.
§ Mr. SorensenIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that this problem of transport has existed for a long time and that there has been considerable storage of groundnuts in Northern Nigeria? In view of the fact that there is only a one-track railway, has anything been done to provide a double track?
§ Mr. HopkinsonWe are not satisfied with the operations of the railways there. We are sure that improvements can be made. That is why I say that my right hon. Friend will go into the matter with great care during his visit to Nigeria.
§ Mr. StokesThe right hon. Gentleman has referred to the production for export during the two years in question. Can he give the total production of the country? Was it very much larger?
§ Mr. HopkinsonI think not, but I should require notice of that question.
§ Mr. BaldwinIs my right hon. Friend aware that if a third of the money which was spent on the Kongwa groundnuts scheme had been spent on this transport system there would have been no transport difficulty there? This difficulty has been going on for the last four or five years.
§ Sir E. KeelingIs the main trouble not the lack of a second line but the proportion of locomotives which are always in the workshop?