§ Captain P. MACDONALDasked the President of the Board of Trade what has been the average annual production during the past five years of wheat, barley, mutton, butter, rice, wool, and leather in the British Empire as a whole and in each part of the British Empire separately; what has been the estimated annual consumption of each of these commodities during the same period in the British Empire as a whole; and in the case of which of the commodities mentioned has there been a surplus of Empire production over Empire consumption?
§ Mr. W. R. SMITHAccording to information mainly published in the Year Book of the International Institute of Agriculture to which I would refer the hon. and gallant Member for particulars of production in various parts of the Empire, the average annual production of wheat, barley, rice, and wool (in terms of greasy) in the British Empire during the years 1925 to 1929 was as set out in the following table, which also states the average estimated consumption in the Empire of these commodities for the same years.
— Production. Consumption. Thousand Tons. Wheat … 25,755 22,386 Barley … 6,222 6,148 Rice … 47,682 46,451 Wool … 699 303 Production and consumption figures for mutton, butter, and leather are not available. It is clear, however, that in the case of mutton and of butter there was a deficiency, and in the case of hides and skins an excess, of Empire production over Empire consumption.