Potatoes (Hansard, 26 March 1969)

§ 31. Mr. Hastings
asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will consider an amendment to the present potato marketing scheme in order to permit a rebate or relief of the levy in the circumstances of severe flood damage where a total acreage of potatoes has been lost.

§ The Joint Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (Mr. John Mackie)
The Agricultural Marketing Act, 1958, gives my right hon. Friend no power to initiate an amendment to the Potato Marketing Scheme: only the Board itself can do so.

§ Mr. Hastings
Is the hon. Gentleman aware of the very strong feeling among growers, many of whom, particularly in my area, have suffered grievously as a result of last season's conditions? Would he have a look at this matter again, together with the Potato Marketing Board, and come up with some suggestion for an alteration to the Act to make it possible for relief from levy to be granted in cases of hardship such as those which so many growers suffered last year?

§ Mr. Mackie
We farmers accept what happens to us when weather conditions go so much against us, as they did last year. This is a very difficult problem. Perhaps the hon. Gentleman would reflect on how he would deal with somebody who, because of bad weather, lost his potatoes in a clamp or store as against a person who did not get them lifted.

§ Mr. Body
Would the hon. Gentleman bear in mind that a number of farmers have lost hundreds of acres of potatoes, with the result that they are making a loss on their farming operations this year? If the matter could be considered again, it would be a great help to them in trying to achieve the targets which the Government would like to see achieved.

§ Mr. Mackie
If growers want this sort of thing, they must initiate it through the Potato Marketing Board. I appreciate the situation. I am a farmer. This is a weather risk. It has been worse this year than I have ever experienced it before. It is very difficult to legislate on these matters at short notice.

§ Mr. Bryant Godman Irvine
The hon. Gentleman said that he has no power to deal with this matter. Is he not aware that very strong representations were made to him many weeks ago asking him to ensure that such powers were taken and to consider the matter much more carefully? What has he done about it?

§ Mr. Mackie
I am surprised that hon. Members opposite should ask this Government to take powers. The usual complaint is that we take too many powers. The Board has the right to waive excess acreage levy payments for somebody who has lost his potatoes and to mitigate hardship as a result of crop failure by allowing the payment of the levy to be deferred for a year or two.