§ 10. Mr. Hurdasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food to what extent, on the basis of average yields in recent years, the 874,000 acres of potatoes grown in 1955 in the United Kingdom would meet the current market requirements, including those of the fish friers; and what consultations he has held with the Potato Marketing Board to ensure that the price guarantee arrangements give adequate cover to producers if the acreage of main-crop potatoes is increased 2W again and a surplus to market requirements arises as in several recent years.
Mr. AmoryOn the basis of the average yield for the preceding five years, the total production of potatoes in the United Kingdom in 1955 would have amounted to 6,905,000 instead of 6,278,000 tons. The additional supplies would certainly have gone a very substantial way towards meeting current consumer requirements.
As regards the last part of the Question, I have no reason to think that the support prices fixed after discussions with the National Farmers' Union for the 1956 and 1957 potato crops, taken in conjunction with the regulatory powers of the Potato Marketing Board, do not give growers adequate protection in the event of a surplus.
§ Mr. Doddsasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the total acreage of potatoes for 1956.
Mr. AmoryOn the basis of forecasts made by occupiers at the March, 1956, census, the area of potatoes in England and Wales in 1956 is estimated to be 616,000 acres.