§ 36. Lieut.-Colonel Bromley-Davenportasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will state the conditions of entry of potatoes from overseas into this country; what advice he received from the Potato Marketing Board in regard to imports of new potatoes; and whether he is aware of the dissatisfaction of Cheshire potato growers over this year's imports; and what action he will take.
§ Mr. H. NichollsThe importation of new potatoes is permitted under open general licence, but is subject to a tariff which varies seasonally. Main crop potatoes cannot be imported at present; the tariff on these potatoes is 1s. a cwt. throughout the year. The importation of all potatoes is subject to health controls.
My right hon. Friend has received suggestions from the Potato Marketing Board, which he is considering. My right hon. Friend is aware that there has been disappointment among growers of new potatoes, including those from Cheshire, with prices they have received in recent weeks, but he is advised that this has been largely caused by heavy marketing from all producing areas within the United Kingdom. He sees no reason to intervene.
§ Lieut.-Colonel Bromley-DavenportIs my hon. Friend aware that there has been great dissatisfaction among potato growers in Cheshire because just as they were going to put their own new potatoes on the market the market was flooded by potatoes from overseas? Is it necessary to bring potatoes into the country just at the very time when our farmers want to get good prices?
§ Mr. NichollsI think that my hon. and gallant Friend will be interested to know that information to hand at present shows that importations this year were not as high as they were last year, and the problem that has faced home growers has been the overflush in the producing areas in the United Kingdom.
§ Mr. G. R. HowardIs my hon. Friend quite sure that the importation of these potatoes at a time when there are plenty of supplies from our own growers is not being helped by the application of the so-called health restriction as opposed to the quantitive restriction? It seems to me that more potatoes are allowed in on the health restriction basis than is really permissible, in view of our own growers' position?
§ Mr. NichollsI assure my hon. Friend that great attention is paid to health controls, which are very important. The actual import figures will interest my hon. Friend. In March, April and May, 1956, imports amounted to 117,026 tons, compared with 121,000 tons in the corresponding months of 1955.
§ Mr. Emrys HughesIs the hon. Gentleman aware that the main trouble this year has been the month's delay in the import of Cyprus potatoes, due to the Government's policy in Cyprus and the curfew restrictions imposed there? Is he aware that as a result Ayrshire farmers have lost £500,000 and that they want to know whether the Government have any policy at all?
§ Mr. NichollsI am interested to note that the hon. Member has completely overlooked the problems caused by the frost and bad weather that we had.
§ Lieut.-Colonel Bromley-DavenportCould my hon. Friend, if possible, avoid, in giving future answers to questions of this nature, giving figures of what were or were not imported last year? What the farmers are concerned with is what is being imported this year.
§ Mr. NichollsI was trying to keep my hon. and gallant Friend on the right lines. He seemed to take the view that it was an increase in imported potatoes that had caused the trouble, but the real problem was that the producing areas in this country flooded the market at about the same time.