Potatoes

HC Deb 31 July 1975 vol 896 cc2022-4

2. Mr. Marten

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the supply of potatoes.

48. Mr. Kenneth Lewis

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the present position of the potato market.

The Minister of State for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (Mr. Edward S. Bishop)

There has been a significant improvement in the supplies of potatoes coming on to the market from the new home crop. There were problems earlier this months, because the prolonged dry weather delayed the development of the crop, but these have been alleviated by the rainfall in the middle of this month.

Mr. Marten

In spite of the fact that we are just starting a Test Match, if the dry weather should continue for any length of time and the crop is bad, can the hon. Gentleman say whether there are favourable overseas supplies from such countries as South Africa and Poland, from which countries we have imported potatoes in the past?

Mr. Bishop

I think we must wait to see how the crop turns out. The original difficulty was caused by the fact that we normally import new potatoes, subject to plant health requirements, and there was a shortage of supplies. In the case of Cyprus. in particular, the supplies did not materialise. With regard to the main crop, this is not normally a matter involving imports, but we are keeping the position closely under review.

Mr. Lewis

Does the hon. Gentleman accept that it is important to think ahead on this matter and that a balance must be drawn between assisting the farmers, who may run into difficulties if the dry weather continues, and looking after the housewives, who require a supply of potatoes at reasonable prices?

Mr. Bishop

I appreciate the hon. Member's concern. The difficulties of last month were caused by factors that were hard to foresee. I have no doubt that in future we shall be better able to regulate supplies and, accordingly, ensure reasonable prices.

Mr. Freud

I realise that the Minister could not have foreseen the weather conditions or the potato shortage, but is he aware that the potato manufacturers in my constituency had to lay off a substantial number of people because the Minister was unwilling to issue a permit for the import of potatoes from Common Market countries? I am sure that it must cost the country much more to pay these people unemployment benefit.

Mr. Bishop

The hon. Member should not over-dramatise the situation. I am aware of the circumstances to which he refers, in his constituency, although these were due to other factors besides those which were apparent. The difficulty with the supply of potatoes for chips was limited to certain areas of the country, and we do not expect a recurrence of that situation in the future.

Mr. Edwin Wainwright

It has not only been the shortage of potatoes that has affected the fish and chip retailers; it has been the high price, as well. Is my hon. Friend aware that costs have gone up 10 times in four months? What do the Government intend to do to deal with people who take advantage of the shortage and charge a very high price?

Mr. Bishop

I appreciate my hon. Friend's concern. In the period of shortage prices rose rapidly, but now they are down to between 6p and 9p per lb. retail. I would not have thought there was any difficulty in people finding a substitute for potatoes—and many people seem to think it an admirable object in life to reduce their consumption on this commodity.