§ Mr. LAMBERTasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture the acreage in the United Kingdom under wheat, barley, and oats, respectively, in 1919; what additional acreage would be required, assuming average crops, to render the United Kingdom self-supporting in cereals; the number of cattle, sheep and pigs in the United Kingdom in 1919; and what additional numbers would be required to make the United Kingdom self-supporting in beef and veal, mutton and lamb, bacon and hams, butter and cheese?
Sir A. BOSCAWENThe acreage in the United Kingdom under wheat, barley and oats respectively in 1919 was:
Acres Wheat … … … 2,370,000 Barley … … … 1,870,000 Oats … … … 5,117,000 To render the United Kingdom self supporting in cereals (excluding maize and other cereals not usually grown in this country) it is estimated that the area under the above cereals would have to be increased by about 10,700,000 acres, assuming average crops and a consumption (including seed and tail corn) at the level reached in 1919.
The number of cattle, sheep and pigs in the United Kingdom in 1919 was:
Cattle … … … 12,454,000 Sheep … … … 25,048,000 Pigs … … … 2,914,000 On the basis of the consumption in 1919, it is estimated that these numbers would have to be increased to the following extent in order to make the United Kingdom self-supporting in beef, veal, mutton, lamb, bacon and hams:
Cattle … … … 6,400,000 Sheep … … … 18,900,000 Pigs … … … 6,700,000 The estimated increase in the number of cattle includes an increase in cows and heifers sufficient to produce the milk required to make the country self-supporting as regards butter and cheese on the basis of the consumption in 1919.