§ 21. Mr. Charles Morrisonasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will state the amount by which beef production has increased in the past year, and state the scope for further increases.
§ Mr. Anthony StodartHome-fed beef production at 922,000 tons in the year ending September, 1972, was about 30,000 tons down on the previous one, due to unusually heavy marketing at the end of 1970 and more stock being kept now for breeding. But the breeding herd is now expanding rapidly. We can expect well over 50,000 tons more from it in the coming year.
§ Mr. MorrisonThe forecast which my hon. Friend has given is most encouraging, but does he think that the increased production will result in less reliance on imports or does he think that it will merely meet increasing home demand?
§ Mr. StodartI think we shall be able to rely less on imports, which are less easy to get, in that Irish stores are already going to Continental markets, and I think that we shall be able more and more to satisfy the consumption demands of people in this country.
§ Mr. BuchanWill the hon. Gentleman give us a guarantee that this increased amount in production will show itself in a drop in prices?
§ Mr. StodartI believe that it will certainly have a very helpful effect. The hon. Gentleman has never given a guarantee in his life, and I do not think he is entitled to ask me for one.