§ Mr. J. E. B. Hillasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many eggs, in shell and in other form, were imported in 1956, specifying the countries of origin and the proportion their imports were to total home consumption.
Mr. AmoryFollowing is the information.
SHELL EGGS (HEN AND DUCK) (a) Estimated total quantity for consumption in 1956:— 899.1 million dozen (b) Imports in 1956:— Country of consignment Quantity Million dozen Percentage of Total Consumption South Africa … 7.6 0.84 Australia … 4.2 0.46 Irish Republic … 4.3 0.48 Denmark … 14.5 1.61 Poland … 1.7 0.19 Netherlands … 1.6 0.18 All other countries … 4.4 0.49 Total imports … 38.3 4.25 65W
EGG PRODUCTS Imports, January-November, 1956 Tons Denmark … 294 Western Germany … 176 Netherlands … 339 China … 7,430 Argentine … 182 Australia … 5,909 New Zealand … 619 South Africa … 437 Irish Republic … 147 Others … 177 15,750 Reliable records of consumption of egg products are not available but the quantity consumed during the period January-November, 1956, is estimated to be not less than 34,300 tons. The excess of consumption over current imports was largely met by a reduction in stocks of imported egg products. Home production of egg products is relatively very small.
Details of imports of egg products are not yet available for December, 1956.