British Socialists’

Fantastic Peanuts Scheme

A DISMAL tale has been told concern ing the gigantic British Socialist plan for the production of ground nuts in East Africa, from which Britain was to derive enough good vegetable oil to assist materially in the problem of providing food.

The project was given shape and authority by a Governmental document,

Command 7030 (it hath indeed a rich Soviet flavour!), published in February, 1947.

Up to March 31, the famous “Scheme” had incurred liabilities totalling £23,200,000. 150,000 acres were to be cleared and sown in peanuts in 1947, and a further 450,000 acres in 1948; 56,920 tons of peanuts were to be produced in 1948 and 227,676 in 1949. Up to March, 1949, they had planted exactly 49,620 acres, and up to the date of the report they had produced 2,150 tons of unshelled ground-nuts and 800 tons of sunflower seeds.

The promoters of the Scheme—typical Planners of the post-war Socialist period —were not in the least downcast. They

admitted that the results were “disiJ appointing”; but they found great caun for jubilation in the fact that the finf groundnuts sent home for pressing ga T £ a ? yield U P to 46 P er cent., instess of the 40 per cent, that had been estts mated.

The promoters say that they are sun that magnificent results will be achievev within the Six Years Plan, according i Command 7030, but the auditors, a wells known London firm of chartered account! ants, refused to certify that proper boolo of account had been kept.

Copra producers, for the present, neee not lose any sleep concerning the oiio seed competition of Command 7030.