§ 70. Air-Commodore Harveyasked the Minister of Food what steps he is taking to deal with the heavy landings of herrings at East coast ports.
§ Mr. StracheyFirst, I am taking every practicable step to increase the consumption of herrings in this country. Nor are these steps unsuccessful, for the offtake for the home market during the present East Anglian season has gone up by 80 per cent. over last year.
Second, we are developing the processing of surplus herrings into oil and meal. About 900 tons have been sent to reduction factories this year as a start and we hope to get this process going on a substantial scale by next season.
Third, I have contracted on behalf of the Control Office for Germany and Austria to buy over 20,000 tons of pickle-cured and klondyked herrings, and the Herring Industry Board has arranged for these and other exports.
In view of recent heavy landings, which I hope will be repeated, three vessels are now on their way from Germany in order to pick up fresh herrings for distribution in Germany.