§ 74. Mr. Peartasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on wholesale potato prices; and what information he has on recent movements in retail prices.
§ Mr. SoamesAt the end of June wholesale prices of potatoes, which vary widely according to district, variety and quality, ranged from about 62s. to 66s. a cwt. in the main markets. In the middle of last week prices had moved up by about 15s. to 20s. a cwt. but by the be-
— 1960–61 1961–62 1962–63 £ £ £ Cereals: Wheat … … 7,052,669 8,666,283 3,787,706 Barley … … 59,327 56,013 473,640 Oats … … 32,910 26,319 167,281 Total Cereals … … 7,144,906 8,748,615 4,428,627 Eggs … … 7,889,406 3,477,051 5,542,571 Fatstock: Cattle … … 4,474,575 11,771,441 11,487,414 Sheep … … 663,332 3,194,842 923,563 Pigs … … 6,467,049 7,622,529 13,709,413 Total Fatstock … … 11,604,956 22,588,812 26,120,390 Milk … … 2,182,000 2,168,838 1,933,438 (see Note 1) 28,821,268 36,983,316 38,025,026 NOTES: 1. As announced (Hansard, Vol. 655, No. 76, 15th March, 1962, at column 1555), the retail price of liquid milk in 1962–63 will be increased to cover the full cost of the guarantee so that taking one year with another no cost will fall on the Exchequer. 2. The above figures represent subsidy actually paid rather than the commitment for subsidy in this period.