Onions (Hansard, 14 February 1949)

§ 27. Mr. Butcher
asked the Minister of Food if he will give an assurance that it is his policy for a substantial portion of the onions available next winter to be home produced.

§ Mr. Strachey
The bulk of the home crop of bulb onions is marketed in the autumn. This year's production is about 16 times pre-war and it will no doubt remain large. But we cannot rely on home production to provide more than a small part of our winter as distinct from our autumn supplies.

§ Mr. Butcher
In view of the small part which the home production provides, could the right hon. Gentleman explain his failure to provide a market this year?

§ Mr. Strachey
No, Sir. In the autumn the home production provides a much larger part. It is in the winter, with which the hon. Member's Question deals, that it plays a small part.

§ Mrs. Castle
In view of the great popularity of the Spanish onion, will my right hon. Friend give an assurance that he will do nothing to rob the people of the onion of their choice?

§ Mr. Strachey
Certainly.

§ Mr. G. Williams
In order not to discourage farmers from growing onions, will the Minister make use of the Market Supplies Committee to give him advice about the import of onions?

§ Mr. David Renton
Will the right hon. Gentleman say when autumn ends and winter begins for the purpose of the extraordinary argument he has advanced?

§ Mr. Strachey
For the purpose of this argument, it might be said that it is the day before that on which we prohibit the import of onions.

§ Mr. Baldwin
If the right hon. Gentleman does not want home-grown onions, will be consult with the Minister of Agriculture and ask him to tell the farmers that they are not to produce any onions for the autumn?