§ 32. Mr. Brocklebank-Fowlerasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he will take to encourage research and development of machinery suitable for harvesting soft fruits, including raspberries ; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. GodberConsiderable research and development efforts are being devoted by the Agricultural Research Service and the Agricultural Development and Advisory Service to mechanical harvesting of soft fruit, and encouraging progress has been made. The Horticulture Board of the Joint Consultative Organisation is reviewing the needs of the industry in the light of present research and development work, and the Ministry will take account of the board's advice in deciding what are the critical areas where work should be commissioned in the future.