HC Deb 19 February 1942 vol 377 cc1920-1W
Wing-Commander Hulbert

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he can give any information regarding the effect on the cereals position in Egypt of purchases for the British Forces in that country?

Mr. Law

Yes, Sir; and I am happy to take this opportunity of refuting the allegations, freely spread by Axis broadcasts, that purchases for our Forces are a primary cause of the present shortage of cereals in Egypt. The following are the official figures of total purchases of Egyptian-grown wheat and maize made by the British forces from 1st January to 31st December, 1941:—

  • Wheat and wheat flour, 24,235 tons.
  • Maize and maize flour, 7,805 tons.

Normally the wheat crop of Egypt amounts to well over 1,250,000 tons and the maize crop to well over 1,500,000 tons. Owing to adverse conditions estimates for crops of 1941 are nearer to 1,000,000 tons and 1,250,000 tons respectively. But in any case, the above totals of purchases by British Forces are obviously negligible in comparison with the total crops and cannot in any way be regarded as a cause of the shortage. So far from this being the case, we were able by the end of 1941 to deliver to Egypt on account of the Egyptian Government from overseas 24,061 tons of wheat and wheat flour and 12,501 tons of maize, that is to say a greater quantity of these cereals, considered together, than was purchased by our Forces from Egyptian supplies during the year; and since then we have delivered, and continue to deliver, to them further considerable tonnages. Moreover, the greater part of the purchases in question during the year 1941 were made from the produce of the previous year when crops were far from being below normal. Indeed, before the danger of local shortage was appreciated, British Forces were being strongly pressed by responsible Egyptians and by public opinion to buy more Egyptian cereals and not less. Thus figures for the last five months of 1941 show that only 3,755 tons of wheat and wheat flour and 500 tons of maize and maize flour were bought by our Forces from local supplies. Finally, since 1st September, 1941, British Forces have made no purchases of Egyptian cereals whatever except in agreement with the competent authorities of the Egyptian Government after discussion in the Joint Anglo-Egyptian Committee for Co-ordination of Purchases. This procedure continues in operation.