HL Deb 28 March 1956 vol 196 cc879-81

2.37 p.m.

VISCOUNT BLEDISLOE

My Lords, I beg to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

[The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government—

  1. (1) whether, and to what extent, the consumption in the United Kingdom of dessert apples has increased during the last five years;
  2. (2) what proportion of these are home-grown and what proportion imported from abroad respectively;
  3. (3) whether the increase in the home-grown apples has been vainly among the larger growers; and
  4. (4) whether the imports are heaviest during our winter months.]

THE JOINT PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY, MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD (EARL ST. ALDWYN)

My Lords, with permission of the House I will circulate in the OFFICIAL REPORT estimates of the supplies available for consumption in the last five years of home-grown and imported dessert apples respectively. I am afraid I must do this because there is no clear trend in the figures between 1951 and 1955, and if I tried to recite the figures to your Lordships or to explain them verbally I am afraid that I might confuse the House. As regards the third part of my noble friend's Question, while no statistics are available it is believed that the increase in home production has been mainly among larger growers. As regards the fourth part of the Question, imports have been heaviest between March and July.

VISCOUNT BLEDISLOE

My Lords, I had hoped that the noble Earl would have been able to give verbally more specific information than he has found it possible to give to-day; but I take it that I may assume that, on the whole, the position in regard to home production of dessert apples in the United Kingdom, and notably in England, is satisfactory and encouraging. If so, I presume also that production would be more satisfactory if only the home-produced fruit were presented in a more marketable and attractive condition. It has often been suggested that a good deal of the foreign, and relatively inferior, fruit which arrives in this country is better graded and better packed, to the detriment of the producers of the highest quality English produce. May I take it that the noble Earl agrees with that view?

EARL ST. ALDWYN

My Lords, certainly the production is quite satisfactory and encouraging, and undoubtedly there is a great deal of room for improvement in the presentation and packaging of apples in this country. There are very welcome signs, particularly in the counties of Kent and Essex, that this matter is being dealt with effectively. Presentation is being greatly improved and I trust that this trend will spread to other counties.

LORD SILKIN

My Lords, in view of the fact that farmers are required to make frequent and detailed returns, is it not surprising that the noble Earl is unable to answer the third part of the Question and that no statistics are available? Ought there not to be?

EARL ST. ALDWYN

I am afraid not. Details regarding orchards are not available.

Following are the figures referred to in the Answer:

TOTAL SUPPLIES OF DESSERT APPLES AVAILABLE FOR CONSUMPTION IN THE UNITED KINGDOM 1951–1955
(in thousands of tons)
1951 1932 1953 1954 1955
Weight Percent. Weight Percent. Weight Percent. Weight Percent. Weight Percent.
Home-Grown 182.0 48 162.7 52 177.4 60 196.0 58 181.2 53
Imported 194.1 52 149.8 48 117.8 40 143.4 42 161.4 47
TOTAL 376.1 100 312.5 100 295.2 100 339.4 100 342.6 100