§ 7. Mr. Keyasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what action the Government are taking to promote the output of protein crops such as peas and beans.
§ Mr. MacGregorThe Government have actively supported Community action to encourage the protein sector, which includes the payment of a subsidy on peas and field beans production. We fund research designed to produce improved varieties of these protein crops and advice to growers is available from the Agricultural Development and Advisory Service.
§ Mr. KeyIn view of the need to reduce cereal output next year, to what extent does my hon. Friend regard protein crops such as peas and beans as a viable alternative? As the yield is about 3 tonnes per hectare, but Rothamstead says it should be 8 tonnes, what is he doing to encourage that experimental station?
§ Mr. MacGregorAs I indicated, we are funding quite a lot of research into improving consistency of yield and uniform ripening of the crop, and also into high resistance to pests and diseases. On his first point, my hon. Friend will know that United Kingdom pea production increased by 60 per cent. between 1983 and 1984. He is right in saying that it provides an alternative to cereals and other surplus products. That is one of the two reasons why it is sensible to encourage it, the other being that we are still in substantial deficit in protein crops.
§ Mr. HaselhurstHas my hon. Friend made a careful assessment of the extent to which this could be a help to farmers to get out of grain, and thus to deal with the overall problem of surpluses?
§ Mr. MacGregorFarmers must make up their own minds about what they wish to do, but we have been giving encouragement in this area.
§ Mr. MacGregorAs the hon. Gentleman will know, there is quite a lot of discussion about lupins in the United Kingdom. There are still considerable difficulties in growing them successfully, but some day that may be an alternative crop. Some producers are certainly getting interested in it.