LONDON’S APPETITE

Hokitika Guardian, 21 March 1931, Page 6

LONDON’S APPETITE

Figures, and oddly enough they are “provisional” figures, are now available for 1930, which tell a wonderful story of London’s appetite. Its weekly bread consumption, for instance, approaches 25,000,000 half-quartern loaves. If they were all of the ‘sandwich loaf’ variety the daily ration placed end oil end would stretch for 600 miles. In addition to home supplies, London imported ] .100,326 tons of wheat a”d 218,000 tons of flour in 1930. Cheese imports to suit all palates from cheddar to gorgonvola totalled 120.000 toils. To augment breakfast supplies. Hourly 1-15,000 tons of bacon and hams and 73,000 tons of eggs were imported, and London required over 160.000 tons of butter in excess of that received from English farms. For lunches and dinners. London purchases 660,000 tons of chilled and frozen meat from Australia. New Zealand and South America, and dried fruit, chiefly in the form of sultanas, currants, and raisins for puddings and cakes totalled 111.000 tons.

London heartily supported the “Eat more fruit” campaign, and received from overseas 621,000 tons of green fruit and vegetables. Even then its demands were not entirely satisfied, for calined; goods, much of which was fruit, accounted for a further 111,000 tons.

Our great-grnndmrdhers told u s howto make tea. “One teaspoonful for each person” they said, “and olio for tho pot.” In 1930 London imported over 491,000.000 Dis. of tea. equivalent to 04.320.000,000 cups wit h a, goodly allowance for the pots. London, too, has a very sweet tooth and some' 874.000 tons of sugar were necessary to satisfy its cravings.

With nil these purchases, amounting to nearly 5,000,000 tons. London’s housekeeping purse still had a heavy call upon it for innumerable foodstuffs

such as eoll'ee. cocoa rice, sago, honey etc.

Overseas growers have much to he thankful for to the London market. Its port- serves nearly one-lliird of tho overseas requirements of the population of England, and London pays up well it does not ask for extended credit.