§ Mr. Nicholas Wintertonasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he can give an assurance to traditional brewers that they will always be able to obtain seeded hops.
§ Mr. StrangWe would fully expect commercial hop growers to continue to provide those varieties of hops, whether grown seeded or seedless, for which there is a satisfactory market.
§ Mr. Nicholas Wintertonasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations have been made to his Department by the hop industry advocating the growing of seedless hops instead of seeded hops; what reasons were given in these representations; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. StrangRepresentations have been made by the industry seeking the introduction of measures to facilitate the production of seedless hops within designated areas, so as to diversify the products of the industry and extend the market for English hops within the United Kingdom and abroad. We are seeking to meet the wishes of the industry in Clause 5 of the Agriculture (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill, which was given a Second Reading on 1st December.
§ Mr. Nicholas Wintertonasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is his estimate of the cost to public funds of eradicating large areas of male hops in the event of certain areas being officially designated for the growth of seedless hops only.
§ Mr. StrangMy right hon. Friend estimates that it will cost about £4,000 a 717W year to establish and supervise areas designated for the growth of seedless hops only. In trials so far carried out by groups of growers experience suggests that the great majority of the necessary work of removing or treating male hops growing in a potentially seedless area can be carried out locally by growers and their organisations in co-operation with householders and landowners. Male hops are not used in brewing: in commercial gardens producing seeded hops they are planted among the females at the approximate rate of 1 to 200.