§ 65. Major STEELasked the Minister of Agriculture what has been the average proportion of foreign imported potatoes to the total British crop during the last five years; can he state what proportion of the foreign imports are of early varieties; and whether these come into competition with home-grown early potatoes?
§ The MINISTER of AGRICULTURE (Mr. Guinness)The average imports of potatoes into the United Kingdom in the 1843 five years 1921–1925 were equivalent to 61 per cent. of the production of potatoes on agricultural holdings and allotments in Great Britain. Owing to a small home crop in 1923 and 1924, which led to a big increase in imports, this five year average is higher than the imports in most years, which are generally only about 4 per cent. of the normal home production. Normally the greater part of the imports consists of new potatoes, but considerable quantities of old potatoes have been imported when there has been a short crop in this country and prices have been high. It is estimated that for the five years in question more than three quarters of the imports were new potatoes. The bulk of the new potatoes imported arrive in this country before the end of June and a proportion of them compete with Cornish and Scilly Island potatoes. Towards the end of June new potatoes from Bedfordshire and Lincolnshire make their appearance on the market, but most of the British new potatoes are marketed after the beginning of July.