§ Colonel BURTONasked the Minister of Agriculture whether any census of potato growing has been recently made; and whether any financial advantage has accrued to the growers during the period of administration of the Potato Marketing Board and, if so, approximately to what extent?
§ Mr. ELLIOTOn 10th November, the Potato Marketing Board conducted a census of ware potatoes of marketable quality then remaining on the farms of registered producers, and of those already sold off the farms. Annexed is a comparative statement of the index numbers of potato wholesale prices in England and Wales for the months July to November inclusive, in each of the years 1932, 1933 and 1934.
Monthly Index Numbers of Wholesale Prices of Potatoes. —— 1932. 1933. 1934. England and Wales— July* 134 95 136 August* 106 91 153 September 114 99 158 October 120 110 151 November 123 115 146 Total crop (tons) (Great Britain). 4,450,000 4,555,000 4,466,000 * Relate to first early potatoes only.