FOOD SUPPLY

Wairarapa Times-Age, 21 January 1941, Page 5

FOOD SUPPLY

THE POSITION IN FRANCE DIFFICULTIES DUE ONLY TO NAZI RAPACITY. NOT CAUSED BY BRITISH BLOCKADE, (British Official Wireless.l RUGBY, January 19. An analysis of the figures of French production and sources of supply of certain foodstuffs has cut deeply into rhe German-inspired arguments that any food shortage in France is due to the British blockade. With pro-British feeling in both occupied and unoccupied France growing rapidly, it is becoming increasingly difficult for the Nazis to persuade Frenchmen that their privations, which are due to German rapacity, are really caused by their erlswhile ally. In June, 1940. when this aspect was not so important to Nazi propaganda as it has since become the "Deutsche Allemoine Zeitung.” possible to allay any suspicion that the Nazi victory over France might increase the privation among the German people should the war go on ovey the winter, pointed out that on a calory basis France was normally self-sufficient to the extent of 83 |x*r cent, which could be incrcns<d to 150 per cent if the productive forces were .fully developed. An analysis of the figures for French food production and imports set out in the last available International Year Rook of Agricultural Statistics which was published in Rome, go far to supjunt this opinion. IMPORTS NORMALLY SMALL. Those reveal that in 1938 France imported less than 1 per cent, of the total potato supply. 4 per cent of wheat ”< per cent of barley, 12 per cent of sugar, and less than 5 per cent ~f eggs, Bath in 1937 mid 1938 there was a small net export of milk and butter. In those eircuinsUinees it is' diiHeult to see how the blame can be east mi the British for any shortage, especially in view of the notorious requisitions that have been imposed on France by the German army of occup.'iiion Neither i- the c.is<- made stronger by Ib'iires that were published on January bv th,. Secretariat of Information. Vnhy, which stated that French imports; of potatoes amounted in 1938 to 1.535,000 tons, with the implication that the culling of these imjxirts by the British blockade had caused a shortage. Tim: statement overlooked the fact that in 1938 France exported tMHKKI tons of pfit.iuii-.s which figure should,, f course, be used to otfsei the figure for imports In .'my event however, figures were insignificant, fraclioi;- *>f France's tutu! domestic output of potatuv; which that year reach'd tl.I- huge figure of 17,000.(8)0 tons. Eurthi-;' both the Netherlands and lermany herself are normally large myMjers of potatoes, and the commuwith both arc not affected by :he jt’.i blockade, Th** real s'casoti for the privations •xotmg m the i’utmtries occupied by Va.'. arm-; lias been given by the Gcrriin propaganda machine itself. On iaruary 7 the 'Fransoccan News \g( :a.-j •■'.itrd' "Feats hitherto never >• rU’rt;:cd have been carried out in ' ';< • ' <> with the defeat of Belgium, lolkmd and France, such ;is the re-■..-.al .-I .rinous qu.mti!:'- <*f I:. the p:. •"*:' propaganda •• < I; th: . ■ ~bp ct. it mte’e-.tlßg .. it i .til ib.c G.-rmai. premail’-, fit 0 O r i; no c. mump- . ( Ear- ■ .ibd:t•• > feed hr: - < ■.; T?.> > rg.m <' the (U rman !r--t;-t ■: I • : ■■ R<"'•a; <‘l) went ■ ■ ■ * .. v las* :Ih I lie g**'*'" : ..' '! t j 1.1 i :t* of • )•■ ■P , !■ the p-r-.-at am ;«•. v. <-H as th.- :< :;:iid < : . at. r’, for dclnbulson : at.- , ... | >•:,>!;.. H With other ;n only Germany ' o -I;.- of