HC Deb 18 November 1981 vol 13 c164W
Mr. Colin Shepherd

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what proportion of world production of butter, cheese, beef and pork is freely traded on the world market; how the quantities available in this way compare with the consumption of these commodities in the United Kingdom; and what proportion of these commodities is exported on to the world market by the member States of the European Community.

Mr. Buchanan-Smith

No comprehensive statistics are available on the volume of world trade which is subject to contractual and non-commercial arrangements, and the quantities freely traded cannot therefore be measured. The following table presents information for 1979 based on the total volume of world trade:

Butter Cheese Beef Pork†‡
per cent. per cent. per cent. per cent.
World trade* as proportion of world production 11.3 5.9 5.2 1.0
United Kingdom consumption as proportion of world trade* 48.5 53.4 53.2 136.3
European Community exports as proportion of world trade* 59.5 40.6 9.5 19.1

Notes:

* Trade based on exports—excluding intra-European Community trade—and excluding processed products.

Trade excludes smoked, salted or dried meat.

Production is for all pigmeat.

Source:

FAO world production and trade year books Eurostat analytical tables of Foreign Trade.

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