§ Mr. Biffenasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what has been the value and volume of pigmeat imports during the past three months, and for the corresponding period 12 months ago; and what assessment he has made of the likely impact on pigmeat imports arising from the decline in the national pig breeding herd over recent weeks.
§ Mr. BuchanImports of pigmeat of all kinds in the three months ending 31st December 1973 totalled 78,000 tons, worth £52 million. Figures for the corresponding period of 1972 were 103,000 tons, worth £44 million. No reliable estimate is yet available of the change in the size of our breeding herd since December 1973 and the precise effect on our pigmeat imports of any decline in the breeding herd depends on a number of unpredictable factors.