§ Mr. Skeetasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the major producers of the following commodities: cocoa, coffee, tea and sugar; how much was produced in 1979; what percentage the figure represented of
(i) COCOA (1978–79 marketing year (October—September)) World production: 1,496; World exports: 1,467 Main producers Production Percentage of world exports Exports Percentage of world exports Ivory Coast … … … 312 21 318* 22 Brazil … … … … 314 21 312 21 Ghana … … … 265 18 233 16 Nigeria … … … 202 14 147 10 * Previous year stock carried over. (ii) COFFEE (Calendar year 1979) World production: 4,734; World exports: 3,714 Main producers Production Percentage of world exports Exports Percentage of world exports Brazil … … … … 1,254 34 720 19 Colombia … … … 752 20 666 18 Ivory Coast … … … 291 8 276 7 (iii) TEA (Calendar year 1978) World production: 1,481; World exports: 754 Main producers Production Percentage of world exports Exports Percentage of world exports India … … … … 573 76 169 22 Sri Lanka … … … 199 26 193 26 Kenya … … … … 93 12 85 11 Indonesia … … … 73 10 56 7 (iv) SUGAR (Calendar year 1978) World production: 92,300; World exports: 24,800 Main producers Production Percentage of world exports Exports Percentage of world exports EEC … … … … 12,800 52 3,600 15 Brazil … … … … 7,900 32 1,900 8 Cuba … … … … 7,700 31 7,200 29 India … … … … 7,100 29 700 3 The USSR, USA and China, although major for producers with 9.4 million tonnes, 5.1 million tonnes and 4.0 million tonnes respectively; are net importers of sugar. As to trading arrangements, the position is:
270WCocoa—the International Cocoa Agreement, 1975, has terminated and no arrangements currently exist for regulating the supply, sale or price of cocoa.Coffee—the International Coffee Agreement, 1976, provides for the introductions of quotas if prices fall to a specified level. At present noworld sales; and whether any trading or cartel arrangements exist for regulating the supply, sale or price of any of the commodities listed.
§ Mr. Peter WalkerI regret that the information requested on production and exports in 1979 is available only for coffee. This, with the latest available figures (in '000 tonnes) for cocoa, tea and sugar, is given below.
quotas are in operation as the price has remained above the trigger point. Several Latin American producing countries have formed a group which, by its operations on world markets, attempts to influence prices.Tea—no arrangements currently exist for regulating the supply, sale or price of tea.Sugar—the International Sugar Agreement, 1977, aims to promote orderly marketing of 271W sugar and price stability by the introduction of limits on exports and the build-up or release of stocks when prices fall below or rise above certain levels. At present there are no restrictions on exports and the release of all stocks has been authorised as the world price is above the trigger points.