§ 55. Mr. Peter Freemanasked the Minister of Agriculture if he will give the total estimated production of cereals, vegetables and fruit in this country in 1939 and 1950, respectively, divided into any special categories available; and what steps are being taken to augment the supply of each.
Mr. T. WilliamsThe answer to the first part of the Question is given in the table below, but my hon. Friend will realise that comparisons between any two single years, particularly for horticultural 193W crops, may be misleading, owing to the effects of the weather. Many of the resources of my Department are directed towards increasing the production of cereals, good quality soft fruit (especially strawberries) and good quality dessert apples and pears. Only the maintenance of the 1947 acreage of vegetables is envisaged, and the chief need is to improve the marketable quality of the product and to reduce costs of production.
Following is the table:
ESTIMATED PRODUCTION OF CERTAIN CROPS IN ENGLAND AND WALES 1939/40 1950/51 (provisional) '000 tons '000 tons CEREALS Wheat 1,555 2,428 Barley 794 1,428 Oats 1,119 1,546 Rye (threshed) 9 54 Mixed Corn 72 689 Total 3,549 6,145 VEGETABLES Grown in the open Roots 587 769 Brassicas 1,026 1,260 Legumes 223 266 Other Vegetables 374 393 Peas harvested dry 14 115 Grown under glass 80 139 Total 2,304 2,942 FRUIT Orchard 719 623 Soft 65 63 Total 784 686