78. Mr. Scott-Elliotasked the President of the Board of Trade what was the size of the tobacco crop in Southern Rhodesia last year; and what percentage of it was shipped to this and other countries.
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§ Mr. BelcherAs the answer contains a number of figures, I will circulate a statement in the OFFICIAL REPORT, but, in short, last year's Southern Rhodesian tobacco crop amounted to about 47 million lbs.; total exports in the first nine months of the 1946–7 crop year amounted to about 35 million lbs., of which 54 per cent. was shipped to the United Kingdom.
Following is the statement:
Tobacco. Southern Rhodesia Million Lbs. Per cent. of Total. Percent. Production Crop Year ended March, 1945 52.0 Domestic Exports— 12 Months, May, 1945, to April, 1946 Total 41.3 100 To: United Kingdom 25.2 61 Union of South Africa 2.0 5 Australia 2.3 5 Egypt 3.9 9 United States 2.1 5 Production Crop Year ended March, 1946 47.2 Domestic Exports— 9 Months, May, 1946, to January, 1947 Total 34.8 100 To: United Kingdom 18.8 54 Union of South Africa 3.2 9 Australia 1.6 5 Egypt 3.3 9 United States 0.4 1 The marketing season for Southern Rhodesian tobacco is in April and May and exports of the crop commence about May of each year.