63. Mr. De la Béreasked the Minister of Agriculture whether he will give an assurance to farmers that during the year 1946 there will be available adequate supplies of fertilisers and especially of potash and superphosphate.
§ Mr. T. WilliamsSupplies of nitrogenous and of phosphatic fertilisers, including superphospate, for use during the first half of 1946 will be adequate to meet farmers' requirements for arable crops, but only a limited quantity of phosphate will be available for use on grassland, and there will continue to be a shortage of potash. As regards the second half of that year, the supply position of nitrogenous and phosphatic fertilisers should be satisfactory but I can give no assurance that the potash supply will by then have materially improved.
§ Mr. TurtonIs the Minister doing anything to get more potash from Germany?
§ Mr. WilliamsAs my hon. Friend knows full well, we get our main supplies from Germany and France, and there is little or no possibility of increasing supplies immediately.