§ Mr Spearingasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what quantities of soya bean and other similar cattle foods were imported into the United Kingdom in 1977: and what is his estimate of the proportion of this import likely to be supplied by United Kingdom producers after the establishment of a pea and bean regime in the EEC.
§ Mr. Bishop:In 1977, imports of soya beans and other similar foods amounted to:
Tonnes Soya beans 1,127,351 Sunflower and cotton seed 9,717 Groundnuts 81,726 Soya bean cake and meal Other oilseed cakes and Meals 263,301 406,673 1,888,768 The soya beans and other oilseeds are also used for purposes other than animal feed, including the extraction of oil for industrial and human consumption.
It is too soon fully to assess the effects of the EEC scheme for aid for peas and field beans used in animal feedingstuffs, since this was introduced only on 1st July 1978. The United Kingdom is, after Italy, the largest producer of field beans in the Community and any increase in home produced protein in this form would be useful.