27. Mr. De la Bèreasked the Minister of Agriculture whether he will take some steps to ensure that the agents acting as buyers for jam boilers in the Evesham district of Worcestershire and other fruit- growing districts, shall not combine to form a ring to depress prices, if necessary by legislation, since the growers had a bad year in 1938 and are relying on a good commercial demand for fruit this season from the manufacturers of canned fruits?
§ The Minister of Agriculture (Colonel Sir Reginald Dorman-Smith)I am not aware that buyers of fruit for jam boilers are forming a ring to depress prices, but in any case I am not in a position to intervene in commercial transactions between producers and buyers of fruit. 13 It is for producers themselves to consider, in the first instance, what steps should be taken to strengthen their marketing position so as to improve the prices at which their fruit is disposed of to the processing industries.
Mr. De la BèreIs my right hon. and gallant Friend aware of the great plight of the plum growers in Evesham and Per-shore, and is he aware that I have a telegram in my hand stating that the price of plums in Evesham and Pershore is 2s. per pot, and that this selling price is less than the cost of production; and as these are some of the finest people in the country and this will mean absolute ruination to them, will he have a talk with me afterwards and go into the matter?
§ Sir R. Dorman-SmithI should be delighted.