§ 96. Mr. Baldwinasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what was the amount of cotton exported from Uganda yearly in the last three years; how far the estimated crop for the present year has fallen below the normal; and what are the reasons for this.
§ Mr. Rees-WilliamsExports of cotton from Uganda in the last three years were as follows:—
Year Bales of 400 lb. 1945 … 264,454 1946 … 219,195 1947 (11 months) … 250,393 The present season's crop is estimated at 180,000 bales. An average pre-war crop was about 300,000 bales but acre-
74W age and yields varied considerably with weather and attacks by pests.
— To be provided from CD. & W. territorial allocation. To be provided from Local Sources or Loans. Total provision in Development Plan. £ £ £ Kenya … 3,500,000 14,086,000 17,586,000 Tanganyika … 5,250,000 11,135,000 16,385,000 Uganda … 2,500,000 13,498,000 15,998,000 Zanzibar … 750,000 710,000 1,460,000 N. Rhodesia … 2,500,000 10,500,000 13,000,000 Kyasaland … 2,000,000 4,625,000 6,625,000 Nigeria … 23,000,000 30,000,000 53,000,000 Sierra Leone … 2,600,000 2,650,000 5,250,000 Gambia … 1,300,000 680,000 1,980,000 TOTALS … £43,400,000 £87,884,000 £131,284,000 During the war the acreage under cotton was considerably reduced in favour of food production. Continuing high prices for foodstuffs have adversely affected cotton planting but the further fall this year is attributed to bad weather.