§ 23. Colonel Ponsonbyasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what tonnage of fertilisers for agricultural purposes was imported into East Africa in the years 1938 and 1946, respectively; what were the types of fertiliser; and 177W what progress has been made with the investigation of the phosphate deposits in Uganda.
Colony. Year. Super-phosphate. Sulphate of Potash. Sulphate of Ammonia. Guano Total. (Tons.) Kenya 1938 * * * — 1,727 1946† 1,280 — 431 1,483 3,194 Uganda 1938 (Included in Kenya figures). 1946 — — 209 — 209 Tanganyika 1938 * * * * 213 1946 * * * * 584 * Tonnage for each of these types is not available; of the 1938 importation into Kenya an unknown proportion was for use in Uganda. † During 1946 usage was limited by scarcity of supply and to supplement imported fertilisers 6,408 tons of Uganda raw phosphatic rock were used. As regards the last part of the Question, a geological survey of the deposits has already been carried out and arrangements are now being made to conduct a detailed survey of the grades of phosphates in them. A decision to develop the deposits cannot be taken until the results of field experiments with the rock phosphates are known.