Edible Oils In The Post-War World

Hope for Copra Producers

IN a recent article in the “Crown Colo nist,” J C, A. Faure, a British authority, surveys some of the prob lems of provisioning the world, particu larly Europe, with oil seeds and fats in the immediate post-war period.

He says that because livestock in Europe have been so greatly reduced in numbers, it will take years to build herds up to normal strength, and the demand for cake-meal will be greatly reduced.

For this reason, therefore, the demand will be for oils and oil-yielding seeds with a high oil yield—such as copra, palm kernels and groundnuts, rather than for soya beans and cottonseed, which yield only about 15 to 17 per cent, of oil and 83 to 85 per cent. cake. Straight oils— whale oils, sardine oil and expressed oils —together with high-yielding seeds, will be in short supply.

Europe’s post-war requirements are estimated to be not less than 3,250,000 tons of oil per annum. After a survey of production in countries which are

neutral or under Allied control (but ex cluding those now under Jap control) Mr. Faure estimates potential oil supplies which will be available as follows; Tons Straight oils 625,000 Copra • 130,000 Palm kernels 340,000 Groundnuts 725,000 Indian rapeseed 15,000 Cottonseed 90 000 Sesame seed 50*000 Linseed 600,000 Argentine sunflower and other seeds 150,000 Total as oil 2,725,000 The total is short, by 525,000 tons, of the estimated minimum annual require ments of Europe; but it is pointed out that once the Far Eastern war comes to an end the shortage will be eased con siderably by the release of nearly 900,000 tons of copra annually from Indonesia.