HC Deb 18 January 1977 vol 924 cc91-2W
Mr. Spearing

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what shortfalls occurred in ACP sugar quotas under the Lomé Convention for the years 1975 and 1976; what respective reallocations have been made; and what changes have been made in the quotas for 1976 and 1977.

Mr. Bishop

The normal delivery period for sugar under Protocol No. 3 to the Lomé Convention, and under related agreements with Belize, St. Kitts-Nevis-Anguilla and Surinam, and with India, ends on 30th June of each year. There have been only two completed delivery periods. There were no shortfalls in the first of these—1st February to 30th June 1975—but in the second six countries did not fulfil their delivery obligations. These were Fiji, Mauritius, People's Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Uganda and Surinam. With the exception of Kenya and Surinam, all made representations to the Commission on the grounds that non-delivery was due to reasons of force majeure. The Commission accepted the claims of Fiji and Mauritius, and in the latter case allowed Mauritius at her request to make up the deficit in the current delivery period. The Commission rejected the claims of Congo and Uganda, and their quotas for 1976–77 and subsequent years, along with those of Kenya and Surinam, have been reduced by the extent of the shortfall.

No decision has yet been taken regarding reallocation.

The table below shows, for each of the six countries concerned, the 1975–76 quota, the shortfall in that year, and the quota for 1976–77 and subsequent years.

SUGAR QUOTAS AND SHORTFALLS UNDER PROTOCOL No. 3 TO THE LOME CONVENTION AND RELATED AGREEMENTS
country Quota 1975–76 shortfall 1975–76 Quota 1976–77 et.seq.
Fiji … 163,600 25,701 163,600
Mauritius … 487,200 65,465 487,200*
Congo … 10,000 10,000 0
Kenya … 5,000 5,000 0
Uganda … 5,000 2,041 2,959
Surinam … 4,000 3,903.8 96.2
* The fact that Mauritius is making up her 1975–76 deficit does not alter her quota for 1976–77 since the deficit is deemed to have been made up in the 1975-76 delivery period.

Sources:

  1. A. 1975–76 Quotas, Protocol No. 3 to the Lome Convention and Annex IV to Council Decision of 29th June 1976.
  2. B. Shortfalls in respect of Fiji and Mauritius, supply notifications by United Kingdom refiners.
  3. C. Shortfalls of other countries and 1976–77 Quotas, notified to Her Majesty's Government by M. Lardinois.

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