HC Deb 08 March 1923 vol 161 cc766-7W
Mr. W. GREENWOOD

asked the President of the Board of Trade the amount of the American cotton crop in bales from 1st August, last to the present time and the percentage of this crop taken by the United Kingdom, the United States, the Continent of Europe, Japan, and Mexico: will he give the percentages taken by those countries of the crop of 1913–14: will he state what percentage of the trade in American cotton manufactured goods of the United Kingdom and of the United States, respectively, is exported; and what is the amount approximately used for home consumption in each case?

Viscount WOLMER:

The following statement shows the magnitude and distrbution

Destination of Crop, &c From 1st August, 1922, to 2nd March, 1923, of the Crop Year 1922–23. Corresponding period of the Crop Year 1913–14.
Bales. Bales.
Cotton brought into sight to date 9,254,000 12,898,000
Quantity. Proportion of Commercial Crop to date. Quantity. Proportion of Commercial Crop to date.
Distribution to date: Bales. Per cent. Bales. Per cent.
Taken by United States and Canadian Mills 3,916,000 42.3 3,257,000 25.3
Exports—
To Great Britain 1,149,200 12.4 2,712,800 21.0
To Continent 2,113,500 22.8 4,032,500 31.3
To Japan, Mexico, etc. 498,200 4.4 325,000 2.5

I am unable to furnish the information requested in the third and fourth parts of the question.