§ Mrs. ClwydTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has concerning food availability in the Sudan; how much food936W aid and emergency relief has been supplied by the United Kingdom and by the European Community this year; and whether DG VI of the European Community has purchased food from Sudan this year.
§ Mrs. ChalkerAccording to the world food programme (WFP), poor rainfall during the current agricultural season has resulted in nearly total crop failure in northern Kordofan and northern Darfur, while prospects are uncertain and dependent on October rainfall in large areas of eastern Sudan. This is causing increasing distress and migration due to lack of water/grazing and food scarcity. Livestock prices are reported to be falling while grain prices have increased to unprecedented levels. We have also had reports of serious crop failure in large areas of southern Sudan, also drought related.
Pending a full harvest assessment by FAO to take place in November the GOS appealed to the WFP on 16 October for 75,000 tonnes of grain for immediate delivery to meet the most urgent needs of some of the 2.4 million most severely affected.
So far in 1990 the United Kingdom has pledged £3.29 million to the UN Operation Lifeline in Sudan. Additionally we have given £950,000 for refugees and nearly £100,000 for displaced persons through SCF and Oxfam. The European Community has committed 3 mecu (£2.2 million) of emergency aid in 1990 to alleviate the effects of drought in Sudan.
Over the period January to July this year DG VI purchased the following food items from Sudan:
Item Value (ECU) Oilseed 300,000 Sugar 600,000 Fruit 21,000 Spices 21,000