WORLD SUPPLY OF FOOD

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25091, 24 January 1947, Page 7

WORLD SUPPLY OF FOOD

ACUTE SHORTAGES STILL LIKELY BRITISH RATIONING DIFFICULTIES (N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) (Rec. 8 p.m.) LONDON, Jan. 22. Lord Henderson (Labour), speaking for the Government during the debate on food in. the House of Lords, said that acute shortages in the world supply of major foodstuffs would persist throughout the crop year 1946-47, and in spite of great improvements in expected harvests, the quantities available in international allocation fell short of the claims made on them. The meat outlook threatened a deterioration this year mainly because of a decline in North American production.

Lord Henderson said that Europe's production of food had risen noticeably, but the production of grains, potatoes, and sugar was only 75 per cent, of pre-war production and meat production was 55 per cent, of that before the war. Britain, in spite of international difficulties, had maintained a high consumption level in 1946, and for the first half of 1947 could not be expected to exceed that. There was practically no hope of restoring the bacon ration to 3oz in 1947, and it might be difficult to maintain a 2oz ration. A reduction of the bread ration might yet be inescapable. Reduced home production, which in 1947 would be below that of 1946, had caused the main meat shortage. Lord Cherwell said that in the first year of peace Britons had to eat less than in the last year of the war, and now, halfway through the second year of peace, in spite of bumper harvests in practically every exporting country, they were told they would have to put up with even more meagre rations. Lord de L’lsle (Conservative) said it seemed from Government statements that there was no hope of ending rationing for years.