§ Mr. Deakinsasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the policy of Her Majesty's Government towards the encouragement of further improvements in the productivity of United Kingdom agriculture for those products which are in surplus in the EEC; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. GummerImproved productivity has enabled food to be supplied to consumers at prices which are lower now in real terms than in 1979 and has increased our self sufficiency to 80 per cent. in the commodities which can be produced here.
Production must be geared to the demands of the market, particularly at a time of surplus. Improvements in productivity have a continuing role to play in helping producers to supply the market competitively with products of the right quality. More realistic CAP support prices would allow the maximum benefit of those improvements to be passed on to the consumer and, through lower CAP costs, to the taxpayer.