Fruit and Vegetables (Imports)

HC Deb 21 February 1957 vol 565 c89W

Mr. D. Price

asked the President of the Board of Trade what physical quotas remain on the importation of fruit and vegetables from Europe; how such quotas are determined; and to what extent they vary from year to year.

Sir D. Eccles

There are quotas for imports of apples and pears from Western Europe and certain other non-dollar countries. The amounts, which were determined by balance of payments considerations, have remained at the following levels since 1954:

—		Quotas c.i.f.
	July to December	January to June
		£	£
Apples	…	500,000	2,500,000
Pears	…	1,175,000	230,000

Though not subject to any quota, imports of main crop potatoes have been limited to certain periods. In the past two years they were allowed without restriction on quantity in May and June, 1955, and from November, 1955, to June, 1956.