§ 4. Mr. Farrasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if, in view of the forecast annual decline in beef imports from the Argentine to little or nothing within a decade, he will take steps to encourage home and commonwealth suppliers to fill the gap.
§ Mr. SoamesThe Argentine Secretary of State for Agriculture has said, I understand, that if Argentine producers did not increase the cattle population, then exports would fall. The Argentine Government, however, have not given Her Majesty's Government any long-term forecast of such a fall. Home producers have already been encouraged by Price Review determinations in recent years. There are at present no restrictions on imports from Commonwealth countries and they are fully aware of the requirements of our market.
§ Mr. FarrDoes my right hon. Friend agree that, in view of present conditions, this is not the time to introduce the standard quantity concept for beef? Will he further agree that, instead of introducing what might be a curb on home production, just the opposite, a stimulant, should now be applied?
§ Mr. SoamesWe have given two increases. The first was in 1961 when we gave a 10s. a cwt. increase, and the second in this Review of 3s. a cwt.—quite apart from the alteration upwards in the calf subsidies which happens over the years. In considering the standard quantity, what we have to do, as a great trading nation with obligations to our consumers, our farmers and people overseas, is to strike the right balance, as the 1947 Act recognised that any Government must do, between home production and supplies from overseas, including the Commonwealth. My hon. Friend knows that there is no question of introducing standard quantities during the current agricultural year.
§ Mr. PeartIn view of the importance of this matter to home prices and the effect which it has had on the home production of meat, why is it that the Minister did not understand that this long- 5 term trend with the Argentine would happen? Surely we have an agricultural attaché there? Was information forthcoming from him? Or have we no agricultural attaché there?
§ Mr. SoamesWe are in the very closest contact with both the Argentine Government and the Meat Board in the Argentine. There is no lack of communication between us. There is a shortage this year compared with last year, when they sent a great deal more than the market could take at an economic price. There are bound to be fluctuations in a commodity such as beef, of which only a very tiny proportion of the total production goes into the world trade. A few thousand tons one way or the other can make all the difference and as a consequence it is inevitable that there can be considerable variations from one year to another.
§ Mr. BullardIn laying his long-term plans for future arrangements with other countries, will my right hon. Friend be a little careful not to take too much notice of these forecasts, because when countries forecast that supplies will dry up it very often leads to events which prove to be in exactly the opposite direction?
§ Mr. SoamesYes. The difficulty of reconciling some of the forecasts which were put forward in the talks with what we thought to be the probable position was one of the features which led to arrangements not being finally arrived at.
§ Mr. PeartMay I press the Minister on the position of an attaché? Have we an attaché? On a previous occasion I pressed the Minister about the importance of having information supplied to him by our attachés in different countries. Have we one in the Argentine?
§ Mr. SoamesWe have veterinary officers there, but not attachés.