§ 52. Mr. Price (for Mr. John Morgan)asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he has taken note of the high price and shortage of onions, with a view to recommending farmers to grow the 200,000 tons formerly imported annually, at the same time taking steps to see that the Ministry officials place as much emphasis on the growing of vegetables as on cereals, seeing that Canada and several American countries have practically unlimited supplies of grain surplus to their own requirements while this country is short of onions, carrots and the like?
Mr. HudsonClose attention is being given by my Department to the question of securing an increased production in this country of those vegetables, particularly onions and carrots, of which large supplies are normally imported. Following the advice given by the Ministry in 1939, growers in 1940 increased their acreage to onions by 73 per cent., and to carrots by 55 per cent. It is anticipated that considerable further increases will be secured in 1941.