UNITED NATIONS PALESTINE COMMISSION
ESTIMATE OF MINIMUM IMPORTS OF CERTAIN ESSENTIAL FOOD
PRODUCTS REQUIRED FOR PALESTINE BETWEEN
15 MAY AND 1 OCTOBER
|
Tons |
|||
|
Cereals: |
|||
|
Bread cereals |
71,500 |
of wheat flour equivalent |
|
|
Rice |
5,000 |
||
|
Sugar |
11,500 |
||
|
Meat: |
|||
|
Frozen meat |
1,100 |
||
|
Canned meat |
700 |
||
|
Oils and fats: |
|||
|
Copra |
8,250 |
||
|
Cotton seed |
7,500 |
||
|
Ground nuts |
9,000 |
||
|
Linseed |
850 |
||
|
Cocoa beans |
900 |
||
The quantities in the above table are calculated on the basis of the programme of allocations laid down by the IEFC (in respect of cereals, oils and fats) and by the British Ministry of Food. No account is taken of the fact that, in respect of all products except bread cereals and sugar, the rate of import up to 15 May is less than would be required under the programme. If this programme is fulfilled between 15 May and 1 October, it will only be sufficient to maintain current consumption and will not provide for building up of stocks.
In regard to meat, it should be noted that the major source of meat supply in. Palestine is normally from livestock imported from Middle Eastern countries. This importation has practically ceased under present conditions, and consequently the quantities of frozen and canned meat in the above table are far below what would be required to maintain a normal rate of consumption of meat of all kinds.
In respect of oils and fats, allocated by the IEFC, imports have been very much below the quantities allocated, and there is already an acute shortage of these products. None of the 10,000 tons of rice programmed for the year have yet been imported into Palestine, and there is no prospect of any importations of rice before 15 May.
Finally, it should be clearly indicated that all these quantities imply a relatively low rate of consumption. They take no account of the possibility of a fall in local production and of destruction of stocks as a result of internal disorder. Moreover, the carry-over of stocks is dangerously low, and in order to build up working stocks to safe levels, larger quantities of all these products would need to be imported. The figures given on the preceding page, therefore, are the minimum quantities needed to avert a serious food crisis.
TABLE 1
FOOD IMPORTS INTO PALESTINE
(in value)
|
(at the rate: |
||
|
1946* |
1947* |
|
|
U.S.$ |
U.S.$ |
|
|
Grain and flour |
28,575,000 |
36,289,000 |
|
Wheat, hard |
18,337,000 |
8,620,000 |
|
Wheat flour |
1,210,000 |
5,279,000 |
|
Barley |
4,930,000 |
8,691,000 |
|
Rice |
1,049,000 |
1,084,000 |
|
Meat |
432,000 |
633,000 |
|
Animals, living, for food |
10,787,000 |
12,189,000 |
|
Dairy products |
6,423,000 |
9,872,000 |
|
Butter |
414,000 |
1,587,000 |
|
Cheese |
1,034,000 |
1,865,000 |
|
Fruits and vegetables |
5,806,000 |
9,684,000 |
|
Sugar |
2,757,000 |
3,351,000 |
|
Oils** |
||
|
Oils and fats, edible |
500,000 |
|
Source: General Monthly Bulletin of Current Statistics, (Government of Palestine) December 1947
______
* Based on the figures for the first three-quarters,
* Does not include certain other oils and oil seeds allocated by the IEFC, imports of which were approximately €1.37 million ($5.5 million) in 1947.
TABLE 2
QUANTITY OF FOOD IMPORTS INTO PALESTINE
1946 and 1947
|
Group |
Unit |
Jan-Sept 1946 |
Total Year 1946 Estimate |
Jan-Sept 1947 |
Total Year 1947 (Estimate) |
Remarks |
|
A (Grain and flour) |
Tons |
190,462 |
253,949 |
217,524 |
290,032 |
|
|
B (Feeding stuffs for animals) |
" |
28,183 |
37,577 |
56,853 |
75,804 |
|
|
C (Meat) |
" |
478 |
637 |
596 |
795 |
Excluding poultry, included under group D |
|
D (Animals, living, for food) |
Numbers |
234,320 |
312,427 |
352,615 |
470,153 |
|
|
E Dairy produce) |
Tons |
7,961 |
9,415 |
10,876 |
14,501 |
1 egg = 50 grammes 1,000 eggs – 50 kg. |
|
F (Fresh fruits, nuts and vegetables) |
" |
25,230 |
33,640 |
42,743 |
56,991 |
|
|
G (Beverages) |
" |
630 |
840 |
1,361 |
1,815 |
1 litre – 1 kg. |
|
H (Other foods) |
" |
36,101 |
48,135 |
27,980 |
27,707 |
|
|
Individual Items |
||||||
|
Rice |
Tons |
5,639 |
7,519 |
5,245 |
6,993 |
|
|
Wheat |
" |
125,471 |
167,295 |
60,380 |
80,507 |
|
|
Wheat flour |
" |
8,425 |
11,233 |
26,965 |
35,953 |
|
|
Barley |
" |
35,927 |
47,903 |
53,528 |
71,371 |
|
|
Live Animals |
Number |
205,853 |
274,471 |
214,329 |
285,772 |
|
|
Butter |
Tons |
429 |
572 |
1,464 |
1,952 |
|
|
Cheese |
" |
968 |
1,291 |
1,757 |
2,344 |
|
|
Sugar (Nos. 181-5) |
" |
18,240 |
24,320 |
18,101 |
24,000 |
|
|
Oils, edible, n.e.s. |
" |
1,101 |
1,468 |
|||
|
Olive oil |
" |
1 |
1 |
|||
|
Fats n.e.s. |
" |
2 |
3 |
286 |
381 |
|
|
Copra |
" |
3,015 |
4,020 |
6,991 |
9,321 |
|
|
Cotton seeds |
" |
15,277 |
20,369 |
|||
|
Sesame seeds |
" |
1,137 |
1,516 |
6,154 |
8,205 |
|
|
Cotton seed oil |
" |
1 |
1 |
3 |
4 |
|
|
Sunflower seeds |
" |
4 |
5 |
|||
TABLE 3
VALUE OF IMPORTS OF FOOD INTO PALESTINE BY COUNTRIES OF
ORIGIN – 1947*
(4$ = €1)
|
Commodity and Country |
Value in $ Year 1947 |
Value in $ Year 1946 |
|
Barley, Total |
8,691,500 |
4,933,948' |
|
Tripolitania |
2,799,340 |
|
|
Iraq |
4,616,748 |
|
|
Syria/Lebanon |
1,224,336 |
|
|
Turkey |
51,076 |
|
|
Rice, Total |
1,084,592 |
|
|
Egypt |
1,084,336 |
|
|
Other |
256 |
|
|
Wheat, hard |
8,627,572 |
18,336,432 |
|
Canada |
7,125,796 |
|
|
Abyssinia |
691,252 |
|
|
Syria/Lebanon |
374,368 |
|
|
Turkey |
123,692 |
|
|
Transjordan |
312,464 |
|
|
Wheat flour |
5,279,440 |
1,210 572 |
|
Australia |
3,187,840 |
|
|
Canada |
1,545,440 |
|
|
Abyssinia |
61,444 |
|
|
Egypt |
47,220 |
|
|
Others (Africa) |
||
|
Iraq |
188,880 |
|
|
Syria/Lebanon |
242,688 |
|
|
Transjordan |
5,868 |
|
|
Other countries |
60 |
|
|
Sugar, Total |
3,361,172 |
2,757, 200 |
|
Grain and Flour |
36,289,792 |
28,57,824 |
|
Meat |
432,156 |
633,216 |
|
Animal, living for food |
12,189,476 |
|
|
Cattle and buffaloes |
6 325,772 |
|
|
Other countries (Africa) |
||
|
Iraq |
48,468 |
|
|
Syria/Lebanon |
5,096,444 |
|
|
Transjordan |
98,276 |
|
|
Goats and Kids |
1,763,124 |
|
|
Iraq |
4,948 |
|
|
Turkey |
1,734,548 |
|
|
Transjordan |
19,876 |
|
|
Other countries |
3,748 |
|
|
Sheep and lambs |
4,099,212 |
|
|
Arabia |
66,396 |
|
|
Iraq |
96,748 |
|
|
Turkey |
3,902,804 |
|
|
Transjordan |
12,704 |
|
|
Dairy products |
9,872,228 |
6.423,316 |
|
Butter |
1,587,120 |
414,836 |
|
Cheese |
1,866,420 |
1,034,884 |
|
Fruits and vegetables |
5.806,560 |
9,684,860 |
|
Oils |
||
|
Copra |
1,810,044 |
|
|
India and Ceylon |
||
|
Other British possessions |
814,564 |
|
|
Other Asiatic countries |
995,476 |
|
|
Sesame seeds |
3,504,628 |
|
|
India |
553,580 |
|
|
Other British possessions |
17,820 |
|
|
Abyssinia |
125,852 |
|
|
Other countries (Africa) |
445,636 |
|
|
Arabia |
1,075,168 |
|
|
Iraq |
229,968 |
|
|
Iran |
527,392 |
|
|
Syria/Lebanon |
458,772 |
|
|
Transjordan |
78,029 |
|
|
Other countries |
12,416 |
* These estimates are made on the basis of the first three-quarters of each year.
Download Document Files: https://unispal.un.org/pdfs/AAC21W28Add1.pdf
Document Type: Note, Working document
Document Sources: General Assembly, United Nations Palestine Commission (UNPC)
Subject: Economic issues, Food, Governance, Humanitarian relief, Palestine question
Publication Date: 22/03/1948