§ 9. Mr. CHRISTIEasked the President of the Board of Trade what quantities of the following soft fruits have been imported this year and in 1929, and at what date in each case the first importations arrived: strawberries, black, red, and white currants, and raspberries?
§ Mr. W. GRAHAMDuring the first six months of the present year, 51,672 cwts. of strawberries and 10,710 cwts. of currants were registered among the raw fruit imported, the quantities similarly registered in the corresponding period of 1929 being 50,500 cwts. of strawberries and 21,663 cwts. of currants. Similar particulars of raspberries and of the separate varieties of currants imported are not available. The earliest entries of fresh strawberries this year were re- 250 corded on 20th March in respect of arrivals by aeroplane, and on 2nd April in respect of arrivals by sea. Frozen strawberries were also recorded during March. Entries for fresh currants were first recorded this year on 5th June.
§ Mr. CHRISTIEIs it not a fact that this large quantity of imported fruit is bought by the jam-boilers from the representative of the importers, and that, though it does not actually appear in such a market as Covent Garden, yet it seriously depresses the prices obtained there for home-grown fruit?
§ Mr. GRAHAMI regret that I could not hear the hon. Member's question.