298 PRODUCTION AND CONSUMPTION 



In order to complete this chapter some reference may be made 

 to two widely different parts of the Empire that have not hitherto 

 been mentioned, namely, Newfoundland and India. The first is 

 a deficiency area, about 34% of its total meat supplies being im- 

 ported. 1 Neither the climate nor the soil are very favourable to 

 agriculture, and the principal industries of the country are con- 

 nected with timber and fish. Agriculture may make greater pro- 

 gress in the future, when more of the land is cleared of forest ; 

 and the surplus fish exported from the country may, if sent in larger 

 quantities to other parts of the Empire, be valuable in relieving 

 in some measure the Empire's shortage in meat by being used as 

 a substitute for it in consumption. 



India, according to official figures, has more cattle than any other 

 country in the world, and has, besides, considerable numbers of 

 sheep and goats. Owing, however, to the peculiar climatic and 

 economic and social conditions of the country, both the produc- 

 tion and the consumption of animal foodstuffs are small, and there 

 is no surplus for export. The same conditions are likely to obtain 

 in the future. On the other hand, the Indian exports of wool and 

 of hides are considerable. It should be noted that the exports of 

 wool from a region such as India favour the changes in progress in the 

 sheep-reaiing countries, from wool-producing to mutton-producing 

 sheep ; while the exports of hides rather depress cattle-rearing 

 industries elsewhere by lowering the price for the joint product of 

 leather. 2 India's contribution to the production of animal food- 

 stuffs within the Empire is an indirect one. Already very large 

 quantities of oil-bearing nuts and seeds are exported, and these 

 quantities may increase further in the future if the demand for 

 them expands. The importance of these products in different 

 aspects in connection with the subject-matter of this enquiry has 

 been referred to more than once above. 3 



The main points in this chapter may now be summarised. The 

 Empire's marked deficiency in animal foodstuffs and in the feed- 

 stuffs required for the maintenance of food-producing animals, 

 can be remedied only by a great increase in the labour and capital 

 devoted to agricultural production within its borders. Incidentally 

 it may be possible to increase the production of food per head of 

 live-stock in the overseas countries. Unless changes in this direc- 

 tion are made on a much greater scale than in the years 1901-13, 

 the Empire as a whole may become increasingly dependent in the 

 future upon foreign sources for supplies of the above-mentioned 



ities that suitable improvements in the live-stock of those areas would lead 

 to a considerable increase in their surplus of meat available for export to the 

 United Kingdom. See Hooker, Statistical Journal, June, 1909, pp. 351, 352, 

 also Weddel & Co. Memorandum on the Imported Meat Trade of the United 

 Kingdom, April, 1917, p. 17. 



1 Dominions Commission, Fourth Int. Report (Cd. 7711), p. 10. 



2 See Part II., Chap, v., above, pp. 260-263. 



3 See Part I., Chap, viii., Part II., Chap. ii. ; Part III., Chap. i. 



