British Citizens Now Receive More Calories Than Pre-War Average

Wanganui Chronicle, 15 December 1949, Page 5

British Citizens Now Receive More Calories Than Pre-War Average

LONDON, Dec. 14 (Recd. 8 pm)—ln terms of calories, the average citizen of Britain received in 1948-49 only .1 per cent, less than, the pre-war annual average, states a White Paper published by the Ministry of Food. Before the war each person received 300 h colaries a day. Now’ the figure is estimated at 2980. This figure is 3 per cent, higher than in the years 1946 and 1948.

The report explains that the increase is explained by the rise in the consumption of butter, margarine, lard and sugar, which has made good the loss of calories caused by the small meat ration. The report also says that the British people are eating about u third less meat than before the war and that the meat ration is still nearly 25 per cent, below the level of 1944, Details are given of the average an nual consumption per head of indl vidual items of food. The general picture is: “In 1948-4? the consumption of fats was nearly 20 per cent, above the level of 1946, butter being at the highest level since 1940. Sugar stood at the highest level since before the war. In the dairy products group, w’hich as a whole showed a slight improvement compared with the figures for 1946, the consumption of liquid milk rose by about 7 per cent Compared with pre-war level, the consumption of liquid milk shows an increase of 55 per cent, and the consumption of dairy products as a wholtan increase of 30 per cent. The annual average consumption of meat pe head fell from 901 b in 1946 to just under 701 b in 1948-49.” The report attributes the fall in th« consumption of cheese to the reduction in dollar imports and the fall in imports of bacon and canned meat to "supply difficulties” in Canada and Argentina. Fish consumption is now running at 25 per cent, above the pre-war rate The consumption of shell eggs in 194b--49 reached the highest level since 1940. The consumption of shell eggs, drieu and processed eggs was only 8 pe; cent, below the rate of 1934-38. The consumption of fruit and fruit products is only about 10 per cent, below the pre-war average. The poor potato crop in 1947-48 reduced the consume tion from 2841 b in 1947 to 2421 b in 1948. The debate on food is to take place in the House of Commons on December 15, when Dr. Edith Summerskill will fill the place of Mr. Strachey, who is in East Africa. Answering questions in the House of I Commons this w r eek, Dr. Summerskili said it would not be in the public interest to disclose how much bacon meat and butter was in store in the United Kingdom. Asker whether she w r as aware of the long delays taking place in the turn round of ships because there was no room in the granaries of the ports to receive their cargoes of grain, Dr. Summerskill replied that grain arrivals had been heavy during recent, months and some delays in discharging ships had occurred. She anticipated an improvement in conditions in the New Year. She stated that 11 refrigerated ships were being used to store meat at an average cost of about 70s a ton, which compared with 27s a ton for land storege.—N.Z.P.A. Special Correspondent.