HC Deb 17 July 1959 vol 609 cc68-9W
Sir A. Hurd

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the proportions last year of each of the main foods consumed in this country which were home produced, from Commonwealth sources and foreign sources compared with 1951, 1945, and 1938.

Mr. John Hare

The following table shows, for 1945, 1951, 1958 and for the years immediately before the war, the percentages of the main foods consumed in the United Kingdom that were home produced and imported from Commonwealth and foreign sources:

Commodity Average 1934–38 1945
Home produced Commonwealth sources Foreign sources Home produced Commonwealth sources Foreign sources
Per cent. Per cent. Per cent. Per cent. Per cent. Per cent.
Wheat and flour (as wheat equivalent) 12 58 30 32 60 8
Oils and fats, excluding butter (crude oil equivalent) 16 44 40 7 67 26
Butter, including farmhouse production 9 49 42 8 79 13
Sugar (as refined) 18 40 42 32 15 53
Carcase meat and offal (product weight basis) 51 24 25 50 29 21
Bacon and ham, excluding canned (product weight basis) 32 16 52 38 50 12
Cheese 24 68 8 10 69 21
Eggs in Shell 71 6 23 87 11 2
Potatoes for human consumption 94 3 3 100 0 0
Tea 0 91 9 0 100 0
Commodity 1951 1958 (provisional)
Home produced Commonwealth sources Foreign sources Home produced Commonwealth sources Foreign sources
Per cent. Per cent. Per cent. Per cent. Per cent. Per cent.
Wheat and flour (as wheat equivalent) 24 56 20 19 50 31
Oils and fats, excluding butter (crude oil equivalent) 10 60 30 18 56 26
Butter, including farmhouse production 4 58 38 8 51 41
Sugar (as refined) 23 29 48 18 52 30
Carcase meat and offal (product weight basis) 65 27 8 65 21 14
Bacon and ham, excluding canned (product weight basis) 49 1 50 42 5 53
Cheese 18 52 30 45 44 11
Eggs in Shell 86 4 10 99 0 1
Potatoes for human consumption 97 1 2 84 2 14
Tea 0 95 5 0 92 8

NOTES: The percentages are based on total current supplies, since changes in stocks cannot be apportioned between home production and imports. Zero signifies nil or less than half of one per cent. "Commonwealth sources" refers to those countries within the Commonwealth at the time; together with the Republic of Ireland.