§ Mr. MallonTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether the Department of Agriculture for Northern Ireland plans to introduce a potato stock feed scheme in the immediate future.
§ Mr. ViggersNo.
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§ Mr. MallonTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what criteria are required by the Department of Agriculture for Northern Ireland for the implementation of a potato stock feed scheme in Northern Ireland.
§ Mr. ViggersUnder an agreement with the Ulster Farmers Union, the Government are obliged to use their best endeavours to ensure that the Northern Ireland market price over the season as a whole does not finish lower than the target price for potatoes for human consumption. For the 1987 crop the target price for ware potatoes is £46 per tonne.
§ Mr. MallonTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the extent of the surplus of potatoes on the Northern Ireland potato market during the period September 1987 and March 1988.
§ Mr. ViggersThis information is not available, but any surplus would not appear to be substantial since average growers' prices remain above the 1987–88 target price.
§ Mr. MallonTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what change there has been in the quantities of potatoes being exported from Northern Ireland since September 1987; what quantities were exported between September 1987 and March 1988; and what were the comparable figures for the two previous 12-month periods.
§ Mr. ViggersThe information requested, which relates to exports of seed and ware potatoes from Northern Ireland to Great Britain and foreign destinations, is as follows:
'000 tonnes September 1987 to March 1988 (inclusive) 90 September 1986 to March 1987 (inclusive) 88 September 1985 to March 1986 (inclusive) 73