§ Mr. GWYNNEasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture whether he is aware of the feeling among members of the Market Gardeners, Nurserymen, and Farmers' Association that the importance of the tomato-growing industry in this country is overlooked by the Board of Agriculture; and whether, in view of the desirability of stimulating this home interest, he can see his way to have statistics kept so that the annual quantity of tomatoes grown in this country can be ascertained, the approximate value of same, the amount of capital, labour, and wages expended on the industry, the largest centres of consumption, and the quantity of 280W tomatoes imported weekly from abroad, seeing that such information would be of advantage to the industry?
Sir A. BOSCAWENI cannot agree that the tomato-growing industry is in any way overlooked by my Department. A grant is made to the Lea Valley Research Station, where many matters concerning the production of tomatoes are dealt with. The technical officers of the Department are fully qualified to deal with questions of culture, packing, grading and marketing, and their advice on these matters is often sought. The question of obtaining statistics concerning the home-production of tomatoes is engaging the attention of the Ministry, but the difficulties of obtaining data are very great. I understand that weekly returns of the imports of tomatoes can be obtained on application to the Commissioners of Customs and Excise.