§ 19. Mr. Ralph HowellTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many days' supply of grain he estimates will be in store at the end of July 1989 (a) in Britain and (b) in the world.
§ Mr. RyderThe International Wheat Council currently forecasts closing world stocks for cereals for the 1988–89 crop year at 229 million tonnes. or around 60 days' supply. Intervention stocks of cereals in the United Kingdom currently stand at 1.1 million tonnes, or around 22 days' supply. The total quantity of cereals in store at the end of July 1989 will depend principally on the level of exports over the rest of the present marketing year and the level of commercial stocks being carried over to the next harvest.
§ Mr. HowellI thank my hon. Friend for that reply. Does he think these stock levels are adequate or does he agree with FAO that they are likely to be dangerously low?
§ Mr. RyderI do not think that my hon. Friend should be lulled into the belief that there is not a surplus in Europe at the moment. The Government are getting to grips with that surplus through stabilisers and other means of reforming the CAP, which I know he supports.