Food Supplies (Hansard, 11 November 1974)

§ Mr. Peter Morrison
asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what foods are at present in short supply.

§ Mr. Strang
There have been shortages of salt and sugar in shops as a result of abnormal demand. The country has10W ample salt supplies and deliveries to shops are being increased considerably. Despite the diversion of some Commonwealth supplies and the poor sugar beet crop total supplies of sugar at present available in this country are close to normal levels.

§ Mrs. Bain
asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the degree of self-sufficiency in each of the basic foodstuffs, taking domestic production as against domestic consumption, for England.

§ Mr. Strang
Rough estimates of self-sufficiency in basic foodstuffs of England in recent years, relating quantities of home produced supplies to estimates of consumption are as follows:

Percent

Liquid milk 100

Beef and veal 65

Pigmeat, including bacon and ham 55

Mutton and lamb 25

Poultry meat 95

Eggs 95

Potatoes 105

Butter 15

Cheese 35

Wheat flour 40

Such factors as regional variations in the pattern of household consumption, imports, exports, changes in stock levels and quantities devoted to other uses have been taken into account in these estimates.

	Percent
Liquid milk	100
Beef and veal	65
Pigmeat, including bacon and ham	55
Mutton and lamb	25
Poultry meat	95
Eggs	95
Potatoes	105
Butter	15
Cheese	35
Wheat flour	40
Such factors as regional variations in the pattern of household consumption, imports, exports, changes in stock levels and quantities devoted to other uses have been taken into account in these estimates.