BRITAIN’S FOOD SUPPLIES

Dominion, Volume 33, Issue 190, 8 May 1940, Page 8

BRITAIN’S FOOD SUPPLIES

The assurance given by the Minister of Food, Lord Woolton, that at present Britain has ample supplies and reserves of foodstuffs, is timely. Since the German occupation of Denmark the problem of providing a substitute supply of dairy produce has been discussed, and this together with the Government’s cautious policy in respect to the release of accumulated stocks has raised the whole question of reserve foodstuffs. Lord Woolton’s reply to those who have misconstrued the Food Ministry’s carefulness is a sensible one. “Our stocks of food are here,” he said, “but I am not going, to put them into consumption just because we have them. I am going, to the best of my ability, to preserve the very ample stocks so that whatever happens to our ships or lines of communication the people of Britain will still be able to be fed adequately.” . . In the past six months there has never been a period in which the transport of adequate supplies both for current needs and for reserve purposes has been prevented. Ships have been attacked and their cargoes lost, but the percentage has been remarkably small and the losses have been more than replaced by the capture of enemy cargoes and the placing of many additional vessels in. the tiade. Foi this satisfactory state of affairs the Navy is responsible. As far as can be seen' today the enemy’s hope of instituting a. counter-blockade of Britain, such as came perilously close to success in 1916, has been frustrated. It would be foolish, however, to suppose that the situation is incapable of change for the worse. No one can .tell how fat the conflict in Europe may yet spread, and to what extent in coming months British communications and sources of food supply may be interfered with. The building up of reserves so as to. establish the widest possible margin for contingencies is more than a justifiable piecaution—it is one which is vitally necessary. The most important foodstuff resource to any countiy with a European style of living is wheat. Next comes fats. Accoiding to the Minister Britain’s supplies of wheat “are assured, and the reserves enormous.” Such being the case, the chief concern of the Fooci Ministry is to provide for the worst possible contingency in the case of fats, and Lord Woolton has warned the people that he may meet the position arising out of the cessation of Danish supplies by reimposing the four-ounce butter ration. So far the British Government has not looked to the butter-producing Dominions to make up the shortage and obviate the need tor rationing by supplying an ample surplus for storage. But the call may yet come. New Zealand, for her part, should be prepared for it.