Barley (Hansard, 26 June 1961)

§ 31. Mr. Prior
asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether in view of the low prices prevailing for barley, he will take steps to make an advanced deficiency payment for the 1961 crop at harvest time.

§ Mr. Soames
No, Sir. It would not be practicable to make advance deficiency payments to barley growers at harvest time. But I am well aware of the importance to growers of these payments and they will be made as early as possible.

§ Mr. Prior
Is my right hon. Friend aware that if the low prices for barley continue as at present the orderly marketing of this year's crop will be quite impossible. Small farmers depend enormously on the cash that they obtain at harvest time from barley. If prices are going to be as low as we think they will, farmers will not get this cash and the only satisfactory alternative will be to place an embargo on cheap subsidised imports coming in.

§ Mr. Soames
That is a different question and concerns our attitude towards importation. Concerning our own marketing, we have certain proposals that have been agreed with producer interests which, we hope, will make a contribution towards the more orderly marketing at home.

§ Sir A. Hurd
Will the Minister use all his persuasive powers around the Cabinet table, with the President of the Board of Trade, to ensure that we take quick and effective measures to stop the dumping of foreign barley.

§ Mr. Soames
As my hon. Friend knows, an application was submitted by the National Farmers' Union to the 27 Board of Trade exactly a week ago today on this matter, and it is, I know, receiving the close attention of my right hon. Friend.

§ Mr. de Freitas
Does the Minister remember that at least six months ago we were warning him of a possible disaster in barley and asking him to call an international conference of exporters? Will he not now please call that conference, because it is better late than never.

§ Mr. Soames
An international conference is a different question to that on the Order Paper and that contained in the supplementary questions to it. It raises many difficult problems—of which, I am sure, the hon. Gentleman is fully aware—and it would not be efficacious if we were merely to have a conference of exporters. Importers would have to be represented as well, and there are no signs in the international field that support for that would be forthcoming