§ Mr. Sorensenasked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he can give information respecting the West African cocoa production and the Produce Control Board; how much is being burned; whether any consideration has been given to the possibility of using surplus cocoa for the production of cocoa butter; and whether any financial loss of the last year is greater than the balance in hand?
§ Mr. Harold MacmillanThe total production of cocoa in British West Africa and the French Cameroons in 1941–42, which was purchased by what is now the West African Produce Control Board, amounted to about 377,000 tons. Reduced sales have meant a substantial loss on the season, and, though final figures are not available, this loss will probably wipe out the profit made in 1940–41. Apart from it normal use, cocoa is being bought by the Ministry of Food for use as an oilseed to the extent that processing facilities are available here. Cocoa is also released in West Africa for the manufacture of cocoa butter and for household uses. For the rest, as much as possible is stored, but authority has had to be given for the destruction of a certain amount of cocoa which has already deteriorated or is certain to deteriorate before it can be shipped. The Board has taken over the control of palm kernels and groundnuts in British and Fighting French West African territories, and other commodities will be taken over in due course.