BRITAIN FACING NEW FOOD CRISIS

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22198, 7 December 1946, Page 7

BRITAIN FACING NEW FOOD CRISIS

CHANCE OF LESS BREAD & BACON U.S. STRIKE MAY DELAY GRAIN “NEXT SIX MONTHS WILL BE CRITICAL” (By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright.) (11 a.m.) LONDON, December 6. The Minister of Food, Mr. John Strachey, speaking at a press conference to-day, gave an assurance that no food cuts would operate before Christmas. He said that the next six months would be critical. After that the exporting countries might find themselves as anxious to sell as Britain was at present anxious to buy. Earlier, Mr. Strachey told the House of Commons that the Government believed the people had the right to know the reasons for “continued difficulties in our food supply.” He said that the strike in the American soft-coal industry would profoundly disturb the entire American economy, including transportation. “We are faced with the possibility of developments that may have the gravest consequences for all countries which rely on North America for their food supplies,” he said.

Bread May be Cut

making great efforts to ensure the flow of grain for export was not impeded. The United States this year had larger supplies of grain available for export than any other country. Meat Shipments Held Up

“If it is impossible for the quantities we have requested to be moved to the American seaboard during the first months of 1947, then, far from it being possible to de-ration bread, it would be almost certainly necessary to decrease the ration.” ‘

Mr. Strachey said the strike in the meat-packing plants in the Argentine was affecting Britain’s meat supplies. The dispute had now been settled, but Britain had lost seven weeks mea.t shipments. which it was almost impossible to make up completely. “It is clear that a very difficult period is ahead of us, not because .the real food position of the world had deteriorated; indeed, at the risk of seeing our hopes blighted in the event, I say that, looking many months ahead, a gleam of light is discernible.” If transport difficulties prevented America reaching her shipping target, large supplies of grain would be available for export later. ‘This encourages a substantial hope that Britain, which is the biggest continuing market for exportable surpluses of food, may again import the full measure of supplies, of which to-day she is in such great need. When that time comes, we shall not forget the exporting countries which, despite difficulties, stood by us in the period of scarcity.”

Bacon Supplies Below Expectations

He added that Canadian supplies of bacon had been running below expectations and supplies from Denmark were rising only slightly. The Government did not know the position about bacon definitely in the immediate future. Mr. Strachey said he wished to make it clear there was no criticism of any kind implied of the trans-Atlantic exporting countries. They were fully conscious of the difficulties that might be experienced abroad as a result of their domestic troubles. If the American coal strike were protracted, it might, in time,' affect the movement of supplies in Canada. The Government of the United States was fully alive to the position and was