PART 11.
The preference of 259, on Empire-grown tobacco is also having a
considerable effect in stimulating interest and enthusiasm in the
further development on Dominion Soil and in the huge market
provided by Great Britain. As it is necessary to establish our product
against a deeply rooted predilection for American and Turkish
tobaccos and of competing with foreign producers enjoying highly
protected home markets in almost every case, it was obvious that a
definite recognition of preference in the British market, was absolutely
necessary for progress.
Mr. WORTLEY stated that, in Nyasaland, native grown
tobacco was sold to Europeans who graded and prepared it for export.
It must not be forgotten that tobacco growing and curing was a
highly specialised branch of agriculture and that the markets would
soon be ruined if the unsaleable tobacco brought in by natives was not
rejected by experienced buyers.
WHEAT CULTIVATION BY NATIVES.
In reply to a question by the Chairman, Mr. Vanden Abeele
stated that what his Government wished to know was whether the
cuitivation of wheat by natives was carried on under Government
control.
Mr. BOOTH stated that the native cultivation of wheat was first
started in Kisii country, where a fairly good and rust resistant type
was grown, but it had little commercial value. At a later date the
Department of Agriculture introduced their own seed but the principal
difficulty was the transport problem. Plantations had been made in
the North and Central Kavirondo distriets, but there it was found
that the altitude was generally too low, except in the area near the
new Uganda line. The natives did not at first take to it very well.
The experiments on the Bukura Experimental ' Farm were not
successful. It was found that the plant flowered when only 11 feet
in height. The native grown wheat had proved of great value as food
to the natives.
Mr. KIRBY stated that in the Rungwe District of the Tanganyika
Territory wheat growing was an important product to certain tribes
at elevations over 5,000 feet, where they grew practically nothing but
wheat and sweet potatoes. There were complaints about rust, but
it was found that it was due more to climatic conditions than to
anything else, appearing in one year under bad conditions and
disappearing the year following. The natives had grown. wheat for
several years, but there was no export trade, owing to the cost of
transport.
Mr: SIMPSON stated that in Uganda in areas where wheat could
be grown, the local demand for wheat was small. Owing to the
heavy charges for transport, the large centres of population in Uganda
could import their wheat supplies much more cheaply than local
supplies could be obtained. He thought that such industries could
only be built up gradually, as transport facilities increased, but there
was no doubt that wheat was a crop well suited for native cultivation
in certain areas. The Conference agreed to the following resolution :
That wheat growing by natives should be. encouraged in
areas suitable to the crop, not only for improving the food ration
for the native population, but also for: production for purposes of
sale where satisfactory transport conditions exist

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