HC Deb 09 November 1989 vol 159 cc777-8W
56. Mr. Kirkhope

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessments his Department has recently undertaken on the present profitability of the dairy sector.

Mr. Curry

My Department carries out annual assessments of profitability in the dairy and other farming sectors, the results of which are published in February each year in reports entitled "Agriculture in the United Kingdom". The most recent report, a copy of which is in the Library of the House, shows the net income from dairy farming in 1988–89 rose in real terms to its highest level since 1982–83.