§ 10. Mr. Peartasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what are his proposals to increase the potato acreage for 1962.
§ Mr. SoamesThe 1962 potato crop is already planted.
§ Mr. PeartI accept that, but what about the position in 1961–62 and 1962–63 in relation to the future programme, since the Government have through their policy deliberately restricted the acreage?
§ Mr. SoamesThe Question asks about our proposals to increase the potato 1460 acreage for 1962. The hon. Gentleman now asks about 1961 and 1963 as well. I find it hard to understand exactly what he wants by way of information.
§ Mr. PeartThe Minister knows that the Government's policy was to restrict the potato acreage and that this brought about a shortage which has caused concern in many parts of the country. I want to know, for the next twelve months and beyond, whether it is the Government's intention still to have this restrictionist policy. The Minister can be very clever about it, but he knows the purpose of the question. I ask him to give a straight answer.
§ Mr. SoamesWe had a long debate about this and about the object of the Government and the object of the Potato Marketing Board. This is to use the information which it collects and has available in order to exhort, or the reverse, growers in an endeavour to get an acreage of 750,000 acres or thereabouts each year. Of course, the yield varies tremendously. If one can keep the acreage steady, at least one has a chance, taking one year with another, of coming out roughly with the right amount of potatoes, but with a commodity which varies in yield such as this does one is bound to have wide variations.