HC Deb 25 April 1947 vol 436 cc155-6W
Sir W. Smiles

asked the Minister of Food comparing 1946 with 1947, by how much per pound it is estimated that the price of Indian tea landed in this country has increased due to rise in workers wages and incidental production charges, increase in freight charges from the tea gardens to port of shipment and export duty on tea, respectively.

Mr. Strachey

No Indian tea from the 1947 crop has so far been landed in this country. The price of Indian tea of the 1946 crop import during 1947 has been increased by export duties of 2¼d. and 4½d. per lb. on shipments from India as from 16th January and 1st March respectively. No allowance has been made for increased incidental production charges

with their prices in 1914 and the highest price reached between 1918 and 1925.

and freight charges from the tea gardens to port of shipment on Indian teas so far received this year. Allowances for increases in workers' wages and the higher costs of food grains were, however, granted to estates situated in Travancore amounting to ½d. per lb. on deliveries after 1st November, and a further additional ½d. per lb. for deliveries after 5th December, 1946. In negotiating contracts since 1940 certain allowances have been agreed to cover all the three factors of labour, incidental production costs and freight charges, but a detailed analysis is not possible owing to the varying incidence of such costs as between the large number of producing estates. An overall amount is, however, allowed to meet the case of the majority of estates.