§ 18. Mr. Farrasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the total of beef cattle fattened at home in 1968; and what he estimates the totals will be in 1969 and 1970.
§ Mr. HoyJust over 3,600,000 home-fed fat cattle were marketed in the United Kingdom in 1968. The number this year may be slightly lower, mainly because of heavier calf slaughter in 1967 and the aftermath of the foot-and-mouth epidemic; but the number of young animals now on farms leads us to expect a worthwhile increase in 1970 as part of our selective expansion programme.
§ Mr. FarrIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that that prediction is not likely to be fulfilled, for two reasons? The first is the continuing high cost of credit to beef producers, and the second, and by no means the least, the sky-high prices for winter fodder last year?
§ Mr. HoyDespite what has happened, these are our expectations. The figures that we have give us reason to be confident that we shall achieve what we want to achieve.