§ 18. Sir John Hallasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what are the estimates that have been made of the growth of world population and of world food production for the period up to the year 2000; and what conclusions have been reached, on the basis of such estimates, regarding the provision of food supplies in the United Kingdom in future.
§ Mrs. FennerThe United Nations has projected that world population will increase between 1970 and 2000 by almost 80 per cent. Authoritative forecasts of world food production in the year 2000 have not been published, but an expansion of production on a similar scale could be achieved at a rate somewhat lower than that experienced over the last 20 years. Although the potential exists in many parts of the world for a substantial increase in agricultural production it will continue to be essential for this country as a major importer of foodstuffs to make the most effective use of our agricultural resources in order to improve our self-sufficiency in those foods which we can grow here.