International Co-Operation in the Establishment of National Food Reserves

Requests the Secretary-General, in preparing his report pursuant to Economic and Social Council resolution 621 (XXII) of 6 August 1956, to include, on the basis of his consultations with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, an ~nalysis of the possibilities and desirability of promotmg, by means of consultations between importing and exporting Member States, the use of surplus foodstuffs in building up national reserves to be used in accordance with internationally agreed principles:

Further requests the Secretary-General, in his analysis of the possibilities and desirability of the 1:1se of surplus foodstuffs for the above purpose, to examme whether such use may lead to displacement of markets for those commodities and what effects it may have on the economic and financial position of those countries which depend primarily on the export of similar commodities ;

Requests the Economic and Social Council to consider the possibility of postponing until its twentyfifth session its examination of the report of the Secretary-General, in order to be in a position to take fullv into account the discussions and the expert technical studies being undertaken by the Food and Agriculture Organization concerning the establishment of national food reserves;

Invites both importing and exporting Member States to continue to consult, through the appropriate bodies established by the Food and Agriculture Organization, with a view to facilitating the establishment of national food reserves, with due regard for the principles of surplus disposal recommended by the Food and Agriculture Organization,6 particularly the need to avoid harmful interference with normal patterns of production and international trade and to ensure that the use of surplus reserves will result in genuine additional consumption as defined in the principles of the Food and Agriculture Organization.