§ Mr. William RossTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many tonnes of potatoes have been supplied as aid to each region or nation in the former Yugoslavia; for what purposes they were provided; where they were sourced; what was the price per tonne paid to the growers; what was the price per tonne paid by his Department; what information he has that seed potatoes so provided were actually planted; and what further aid is contemplated in respect of the agricultural industry.
§ Mr. Lennox-BoydAt the request of UNHCR we supplied 2,000 tonnes of seed potatoes to the Tuzla region of Bosnia in March of this year. These were provided as part of our humanitarian aid programme to the former Yugoslavia to provide a cost-effective food source for the local population during 1993. They were procured through a supplier in Scotland who obtained supplies from more than 30 growers. The price paid to the supplier, reflecting both the urgency and the requirement for export-grade super elite standard potatoes, was £140 per tonne for 1,000 tonnes of Desiree potatoes and £145 per tonne for 1,000 tonnes of Pentland Squire potatoes. In addition to the costs of purchase this price included grading, bagging, marking and certification.
Our representatives in the former Yugoslavia have confirmed that the seed potatoes have been planted, and that the aid was well received and used. We have no plans for any further such projects at present.