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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
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co
Reference :-
885/26
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC-
COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH—NOT TO
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The shortage of coconut oil will no doubt to a large extent be met at first by the margarine manufacturer using hydrogenized oils and animal fats, and by other consumers using other oils as substitutes for coconut and palm kernel oil. Later on, it will also be met by increased exports of copra and coconut oil from the main producing countries— especially India.
25. Cotton-seed Oil.-The only large importers of cotton seed or cotton seed oil are the United Kingdom and Germany. The supplies of seed available vary a good deal with the
year, but so large a proportion of the Indian production-estimated as usually about five-sixths is not exported but is fed to cattle or used as manure on the farms that it ought to be possible to increase the amount of exports of cotton seed from India if necessary.
The amounts normally available from Egypt and India may be put at—
From Egypt from 300,000 to 450,000 tons of cotton seed,
From India about 200,000 tons of cotton seed,
but in view of the increase in Egypt recently in the crushing of cotton seed and the local consumption of the oil so produced, it is perhaps not safe to rely on Egypt for more than 300,000 tons of seed for export. If 600,000 tons of cotton seed are required by the United Kingdom they could probably be obtained from Egypt, India, and our tropical African Protectorates, provided that the Egyptian and Indian crops of the year were normal and freight space were available.
The United States of America may be in a position to export about 80,000 tons of cotton-seed oil.
26. Ground-nuts.-The Gambia exports about 65,000–95,000 tons a year unshelled. In Nigeria the growing of ground-nuts for export only commenced on any scale in 1913-14, and the amounts exported have been (shelled)
1913-19,000 tons, of which 9,000 tons went to the United Kingdom. 1914-17,000
"
"
7,000
"
11
1915- 9,000
71
6,000
12
11
19
11
19
1916-50,000
"
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11
32,000,
31
17
11
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1917-51,000
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The estimated Indian production is normally from 700,000 to 1,000,000 tons of unshelled nuts (the average for the five years ended 1916-17 was 914,000 tons) but only from 190,000 to 280,000 tons (shelled) are exported (the average for the same five years was 196,000 tons), and 75 per cent. or more of these go to France, where, as their condition on arrival at the mills is inferior to that of Senegal (unshelled) or Nigerian (shelled) ground-nuts, they are probably not so suitable as West African ground-nuts for the manufacture of oil for edible purposes.
The
27. Linseed. In normal years, the Canadian exports of linseed (some 250,000 tons) go to the United States of America, which may also need some 150,000 tons of the Argentine crop. The total North American consumption is about 650,000 tons. Indian production varies greatly from year to year, the average for the ten years ended 1916-17 being 443,000 tons, and the exports vary from 200,000 to 400,000 tons. About 330,000 tons may be regarded as a normal figure for exports from India. The Argentine exportable crop is usually from 800,000 to 1,000,000 tons, and the Russian in ordinary circumstances may amount to 150,000 tons. Holland may want about 200,000 tons and France about 200,000 tons. Germany used normally to take 300,000-400,000 tons. The requirements of Scandinavian countries may be put at 50,000 tons, and of Italy at 40,000 tons. Provided that crops are normal, there should thus probably be a fair equilibrium between supply and demand, but the crop is one which occasionally shows great annual variations. 1913 for example was a "bumper
year.
28. Palm Oil.-As the normal exports of British West Africa amount to from 85,000 to 90,000 tons a year, there should be no difficulty in the United Kingdom obtaining 60,000 tons of this oil. French West Africa can export about 18,000 tons, Togoland about 2,000 tons, and the Cameroons about 3,000 tons.
When
29. Palm Kernels.—British West Africa can export about 240,000 tone and French West Africa about 50,000 tons. (In 1917 Nigeria exported 186,000 tons.) Togoland can normally supply about 10,000 tons and the Cameroons about 15,000 tons. trading stations have been opened and are working euccessfully along the Nigerian Eastern Railway (which is 150 miles in length and runs through a rich oil-palm belt) the amount of both palm kernels and palm oil available from British West Africa should show an appreciable increase.
11
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year and in
30. Rape seed.-India alone produces over 1,000,000 tons of 1913-14 exported 249,000 tons.
Beed A Belgiumi, Germany, and France are the main consuming countries; and the United Kingdom should have no difficulty in obtaining her modest requirements of this seed-say 36,000 tons without special measures.
31. Sesume.-The Indian and China crops of sesame seed are large-over 1,000,000 tons a year for India. The exports from India are normally about 120,000 tons, and from China about 74,000 tons. The requirements of the United Kingdom, where the seed is only crushed on a small scale, are small. When mixed with furfural and hydrochloric acid, sesame oil gives a characteristic crimson colour (Baudouin's test) and its use in margarine before the war was therefore required by law in Germany, Austria, and Belgium, so as to make easy the detection of margarine as an adulterant of butter. As margarine'makers for those markets had to obtain it, and as Continental crushers were used to dealing with sesame, it fetched a higher price on the Continent than in the United Kingdom and nearly all went there. "soft" oil, and it is possible that British crushers may take to crushing it on
Sesame oil is, however, an excellent edible scale than hitherto. A certain amount of the seed is used by British compound cake a larger makers in order to increase the oil content of their cake. But, even after allowing for an increased demand in this country, it does not appear likely that any control of Indian exports of sesame will be necessary for the purpose of securing supplies for the British Empire and its Allies.
32. Soya beans.-These are not produced in any quantity in the British Empire; but the total crop in China and Japan is usually a very large one-from 1,000,000) to 1,500,000 tons with exports of 500,000 tons of soya-beans and 35,000 tons of soya-bean oil; and there should be little difficulty in obtaining the 11,000 tons of oil which it is estimated that the United Kingdom will require.
33. Tallow. The total shipments of tallow from Australia and New Zealand are normally about 80-90,000 tons and from the Argentine about 35-50,000 tons a year. They have fallen off during the War-a result which is partly due to a drought in Australia in 1915 but since then mainly to the shipping shortage. Our imports of tallow before the War from all countries were from 80,000 to 100,000 tons a year-of which over 40,000 tons a year used to be re-exported. There is, of course, a considerable home melt, much of which is normally exported. Unless there should unfortunately be a serious drought in Australia or the Argentine, it would seem that it will be possible for the requirements of the United Kingdoun for tallow to be met without special measures in the countries of origin, provided that adequate freight is available.
a
34. Whale oil.-Hardened whale oil is to a small extent used for edible purposes, and in time its use for such purposes may be more extensive. substitute for tallow and as such has been largely used in the United Kingdom during At present, however, it is a the War in the soap and candle trades. His Majesty's Government have a considerable hold over the destination of the production of one of the most important whale fisheries—that based on South Georgia, Falklands Ordinance 3/1917, during the War and for six months thereafter the dependency of the Falkland Islands. By exportation of whale-oil except to the United Kingdom is prohibited. Holders of Colonial licences to use the shores and territorial waters of the Falklands and its dependencies have to give a bond on export and are liable to forfeit their licences if they break the bond. As a result, the imports of whale oil into the United Kingdom during 1915 and 1916 were considerably larger than before the War. In 1917 they fell off owing to shipping difficulties: but it seems probable that unless supplies of tallow are specially short, the United Kingdom will be able to obtain enough whale oil without further exceptional measures. Provided that sufficient tonnage is available, probably about 80,000 tons a year could be obtained from the dependencies of the Falkland Islands alone. The Falklands whaling industry is largely in the hands of Norwegians and the existing restrictions on the export of whale oil accordingly do not seriously affect the interests of the Colony.
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35. Conclusions.-An estimate of the position during the year following the conclusion of peace cannot be more in present circumstances than a somewhat rough guess. But after allowing for a large margin of error, it seems clear that the world's supplies of coconut and palm kernel oils will be less than the demand and that steps will be desirable to secure for British use as much of these two oils as possible. As regards what these steps should be, it must be pointed out that during the War, the British palm kernel and copra producing industries have suffered considerably. The West African
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