GROUND-NUTS IN AFRICA WORK FAR BEHIND EXPECTATIONS

Press, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 25445, 17 March 1948, Page 5

GROUND-NUTS IN AFRICA

WORK FAR BEHIND EXPECTATIONS

British Scheme Meets : Difficulties

(Special Correspondent N.Z2A.) (Ret. 8 p.m.) LONDON. Mareh 11. Reports from independent sources and Government departments on the first year's operation of the muchpublicised ground-nuts scheme in Tanganyika. Northern Rhodesia, and Kenya, disclose that the initial difficulties of clearing ground, obtaining labour, and getting heavy mechanical equipment were considerably underestimated. The first year's planting has amounted to only 10,000 acres instead of the 150,000 acres originally planned. Moreover, the initial costa of the scheme—originally estimated to cost £24,000.000 when fully S operation —have already amounted to £4JtW,OOO. It is true that much of this is nonrecurring capital outlay, but the figure Is still very much higher than was expected. The chief of a number of causes is that African thornbush. which covers much of the area, cannot be stripped from the ground without special equipment This was not realised. When heavy bulldorers were first used on the thorn areas it was found that the bushes merely snapped oft leaving their roots in the ground. It was several months before the avail, able equipment could be modified to prevent tills.

Lack of Tractors It was hoped that 200 heavy tractors would be available by the middle ot February last year, but in practice it was found impossible to obtain the new machines, and by the middle 0/ July only 97 tractors, all of them used war equipment, were operating. Since then, however, there has been a substantial increase in the number of tractors, and by the end ot last year more than 400 were working on various sites. But many of them are worn machines; replacement and repair costs have been very heavy, and the difficulty of obtaining spare Part* causes a bottleneck. It was found that many of the African driver* who were trained to operate these machine* had a poor mechanical sense and Subjected them to unnecessary ill-usage and hard wear. Labour Shortage Labour Is another difficulty. On the assumption that 150.000 acres would be cleared in the first year, it was estimated that the number of men required would be 200 Europeans and 7500 natives. In practice it has been found necessary. to double the number of Europeans and it has not been found possible to secure more than 6000 native workers. This result* largely from the rival claims of the sisal and other industries in Tanganyika province. - Tiie greatest need of the scheme 1* for railway and adequate port facilities, and here again It is held up bv shortages of material. At present most of the material being taken to the ground-nut areas 1* passing through Dar-es-Salaam, which la gravely congested as a result Plana are now on foot for the construction of a special port at Mikindani, south of Dar-es-Salaam. On the basis of the first year's experience it is now admitted that th* scheme will take much longer to establish than was originally estimated and that it will cost considerably more than £24.000.000. Nevertheless. Britain's need for vegetable oils and oil cake is so great that the scheme will undoubtedly continue to receive the fullest possible Government support and priority.