HC Deb 01 March 1984 vol 55 cc379-80
9. Mr. Freud

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he is satisfied with the marketing arrangements for agricultural produce.

Mr. MacGregor

I am never satisfied that we have reached a stage where further progress cannot be made, but there have been considerable advances on the marketing front. The priority that we attach to the effective marketing of agricultural produce was demonstrated a year ago in the setting up of Food from Britain with the objective of achieving a lasting improvement in the marketing and promotion of British foods. Food from Britain has made encouraging progress in its first year, and I am confident it will achieve success.

Mr. Freud

If the Minister refers to "advance" in marketing supermarket eggs, which were labelled fresh last year and are now being marketed as free-range, can he tell the House what the difference is and what they are likely to be called next year?

Mr. MacGregor

I knew that this question would enable hon. Members to raise all sorts of issues. Stretching into the recesses of my memory, I seem to recall that there are considerable technical disputes about the matter, which are currently being pursued with the Commission.

Sir Peter Mills

Will my hon. Friend bear in mind that tremendous improvements have been made in marketing, particularly in meat marketing, to meet the demands of the new multiple retailers? Will he also bear in mind that we could do a lot more if there was more freedom of export to the Community? There are still difficulties which need to be overcome, particularly for firms like North Devon Meat.

Mr. MacGregor

I very much agree with my hon. Friend on the points that he made about progress on marketing. I regard it as a fundamental aspect of what we should be achieving in the next five years. As to his question about difficulties over exporting, I am not sure whether he was referring to the problems of clawback, but we have those very much in mind. That is one of the issues that we are pursuing in the current CAP negotiations.

Mr. Deakins

Can any marketing arrangements other than a price reduction ensure that the British consumer will eat more products currently in surplus in the EEC?

Mr. MacGregor

Yes, undoubtedly, by improving quality, processing and marketing itself. Indeed, under the charter bacon scheme we have increased this year the amount of bacon produced by British producers and consumed by British households from 41 to 46 per cent. I believe that there is quite a lot more that we can do in that direction.

Mr. Leigh

Has my hon. Friend any plans to curb the overweening powers of the large retail chains, which are holding to ransom many agricultural producers, particularly North Devon Meat, which has already been mentioned by my hon. Friend the Member for Torridge and Devon, West (Sir Peter Mills).

Mr. MacGregor

That, of course, is a matter for the Director General of Fair Trading. I understand that discussions are going on with him about the matter.