HC Deb 30 April 1919 vol 115 c168W
Mr. MACQUISTEN

asked the Secretary of State for India (1) whether the African ports in East Africa, South Africa, Somaliland, and the ports of Aden, Mombassa, Busra, and other places along the Indian Ocean are being supplied with food from India; whether the allotment for these ports is being deducted out of the allotment of the Bombay presidency;

(2) if famine conditions exist in the Bombay Presidency; whether the export of grain in India is still going on, or, if not, at what date it ceased; and whether rice is still being sent to Java and Sumatra from Burma?

Mr. MONTAGU

Famine conditions exists in parts of the Bombay Presidency. The exportation of food grains from India has for some time past been prohibited except under licence. Export under licence is reduced to a minimum, and is practically confined to countries, including those mentioned by the hon. Member, in which there is a more or less considerable Indian population ordinarily dependent on India for much of their food. The limited export is not thought to affect materially, if at all, the food supply of the Bombay Presidency. From Burma no rice, I understand, at present is being exported to Java or Sumatra.