HC Deb 11 November 1954 vol 532 c1382
15. Mr. Godber

asked the Minister of Agriculture, in the light of the late season, what special consideration has been given to the difficulty of maintaining a reasonable cereal acreage for the 1955 harvest; and whether he will make a statement on his policy in this connection.

Mr. Amory

I am aware that the late harvest has considerably curtailed autumn sowings of cereals. But it is too early to reach conclusions as to the cereal acreage in 1955.

Mr. Godber

Does my right hon. Friend agree about the importance of maintaining a sufficiently large tillage acreage, and does he not think that there must be a substantial acreage of spring-sown corn? Will he look at the position regarding the availability of seed corn, particularly for spring wheat?

Mr. Amory

I agree with my hon. Friend, and I am quite sure that, in the interests of an efficient agriculture, it is important to maintain a high level of arable acreage. I will bear in mind what my hon. Friend said in the last part of his supplementary question.

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