HC Deb 09 April 1987 vol 114 c394W
Mr. Alex Carlile

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement as to the present state and future prospects of the poultry rearing industry.

Mr. Jopling

Demand for poultrymeat has been expanding rapidly and prices have remained strong. Egg consumption has shown a long-term decline; egg prices were weak last year due to over-supply but have shown some strengthening recently. The future prospects of our poultry producers will depend essentially on their ability to match production to the needs of the market-place.