§ 4. Sir G. Nabarroasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, in view of large supplies of unsold British apples from the 1969 harvest and the glut of foreign supplies, what steps he is making to help apple growers in Worcestershire and elsewhere in Great Britain.
§ The Joint Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (Mr. James Hoy)The 1969 apple crop has been a good deal higher than the small crops of 1967 and 1968. As a result, prices are lower and more apples will be stored for sale after Christmas. There is no glut of supplies from the non-sterling area since these are regulated by quota and are at present fetching prices significantly higher than those for home-grown apples.
§ Sir G. NabarroHas not the hon. Gentleman's market intelligence informed him that large quantities of the highest quality Worcestershire apples, well graded and well packed—for example, Sunset Cox's—are commanding prices of only 2d. a lb. in his own constituency, due to the glut of foreign apples which preceded the close season, thereby destroying the market possibilities for our home growers? Will the hon. Gentleman not put a ban on foreign apples after Christmas?
§ Mr. HoyThe hon. Gentleman has only just told me about the price obtained in my constituency and I would want the facts so that I could look into them. We must get the question of imports in perspective. The current six months' quota for imports, at 15,200 tons, is no greater than in previous years, and the home crop is nearly 18 times greater than that.
§ Mr. William HamiltonWill my hon. Friend resist the blandishments of the garrulous enemy of the consumer from South Worcestershire? Is he aware that the housewife is very satisfied with the reasonable prices she is paying for her apples in the market?
§ Mr. HoyI have certainly received no protests from British housewives, who are getting a very good quality British apple much cheaper than they could buy last year.
§ 30 and 31. Mr. Crouchasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what steps he proposes to take to protect the British apple grower against unfair competition from abroad;
(2) if he will reduce the quota at present in force for imported apples in view of the exceptionally heavy British crop this year.
§ Mr. HoyThere are already quota restrictions which apply to all imports of apples from outside the sterling area. The quota for January/June 1970 is now under consideration and my right hon. Friend, the President of the Board of Trade, who is responsible for the licensing of imports, will make an announcement as soon as possible.
§ Mr. CrouchI am sure the House is pleased to hear that the Parliamentary Secretary is prepared to consider with the Board of Trade the question of import quotas after Christmas. Will my hon. Friend, as the Minister responsible for the production of apples, bear in mind that because of the exceptionally good weather this autumn the storage qualities may not be as good in the future and that some special protection through the licences granted for imports will be necessary?
§ Mr. HoyYes, we want to do all we can for the home producer. It is true, as I said in reply to an earlier Question, that the crop this year is much greater than last year, when, in fact, it was small. But I also took the opportunity of pointing out that the import quota of 15,200 tons has not varied over a number of years and our own production is 18 times greater than that.
§ Mr. GardnerLeaving aside the present situation, has my hon. Friend seen the forecast about the growth of apple 989 production in Southern Europe, which is climatically very favourable? Will he beware of taking future action which might not be in the interests of the British consumer or the long-term interests of the industry?
§ Mr. HoyWe are bound to take all that into consideration. When the import quota was fixed, as it was, at 15,200 tons, we took into account what producers in Southern Europe were producing, and what protection we ought to give to our home producers, as well as the selection that would be available to housewives and the prices they would have to pay.
§ Sir Clive BossomWhat quantity of apples does the hon. Gentleman expect to be imported from now until Christmas? This is going to be the difficult time.
§ Mr. HoyAs I said, the six months' quota is 15,200 tons, and it is usually in the second half that imports are greater; but in total they cannot exceed 15,200 tons.
§ Later—
§ Sir G. NabarroOn a Point of order, Mr. Speaker. In view of the unsatisfactory replies to the Questions about apples, I give notice that I shall raise the matter on the Adjournment
§ Mr. SpeakerThe hon. Gentleman is a little late.