§ 33. Sir D. Rentonasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will make a further statement on this season's sugar beet crop; and what sugar import substitution is expected to take place during the current season.
§ Mr. HoyThe British Sugar Corporation now reports that 87 per cent. of the authorised acreage of sugar beet had been drilled by 2nd May and that drilling was virtually completed last week. The season has undoubtedly been a late one but prospects in most areas now seem no worse than they did at this time last year and in some areas look rather better. It is, of course, too soon to make any prediction on the likely output of sugar.
§ Sir D. RentonDoes not that reply show that there is a serious risk of the yield from home sugar production being below what the Government have planned and what is required? Would it not be better in future years to have a margin of safety in terms of a larger permitted acreage?
§ Mr. HoyIt is difficult to predict what the sugar content will be, as the right hon. and learned Gentleman knows. If we get weather like today's, it can improve it tremendously. It would be difficult for anyone to predict accurately what the outcome was likely to be.
§ Mr. CostainIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that a number of Kentish farmers are advocating the growing of sugar beet in Kent? What is his attitude towards extending sugar beet production to that area?
§ Mr. HoyI will not deal with that area in particular but I can tell the hon. Gentleman that work is at present going on which will give us a considerable increase in capacity.