§ 38. Mr. Gardnerasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the total amount of sugar imported in 1968 within the terms of the Commonwealth Sugar Agreement; what was the total value; and what estimate he has made of the total cost of buying the same amount of sugar at market prices.
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§ Mr. HoyJust over 1.7 million tons of sugar were purchased at the negotiated price under the Agreement, at a cost of almost £82 million free on board ship. The cost of this sugar if purchased from the same countries at the 1968 average world market price would in theory have been approximately £38 million. It is unrealistic, however, to assume that in the absence of the Commonwealth Sugar Agreement this tonnage would have been available at this price.
§ Mr. Gardnerasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what were the total imports of sugar in 1968 from each country covered by the Commonwealth Sugar Agreement.
§ Mr. HoyImports of sugar during 1968 from the countries whose sugar industries are members of the Common-Wealth Sugar Agreement Were as follows:
Tons Antigua and St. Kitts … … … 29,660 Australia … … … 358,353 Barbados … … … 130,310 British Honduras … … … 22,810 Fiji … … … 130,112 Guyana … … … 142,920 India … … … 24,817 Jamaica … … … 213,653 Mauritius … … … 484,257 Swaziland … … … 84,466 Trinidad and Tobago … … … 131,456 Source: Overseas Trade Accounts of the United Kingdom and Customs and Excise Tabulation Sheets.