§ Mr. MarlowTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is her estimate of the reduction in acreage and wheat tonnage equivalent output of each EC country between the 1991–92 and 1992–93 growing seasons; and what plans she has to prevent further disadvantage to the United Kingdom in both acreage and tonnage terms.
§ Mr. JackA table showing the area planted and tonnage produced for wheat (excluding durum wheat) in each member state during the growing seasons 1991–92 and 1992–93, together with the percentage difference is attached. The figures provided are based on the United Kingdom Agricultural Departments' first estimate of the 1993 United Kingdom cereals harvest and the most recent EC Commission forecasts for all other member states.
I shall continue to seek a fair deal for British cereal producers in the same way that achieved a defeat for the CAP reform proposals which would have resulted in 60 per cent. of our set-aside land being uncompensated compared to 34 per cent. in the rest of the Community. More recently, we negotiated an 18 per cent. non-rotational set-aside requirement for the United Kingdom compared to 20 per cent. in other member states.
315W
EC wheat area and production—1991–92 and 1992–93 growing seasons Country Area (1,000 hectare) Per cent, change Production (1,000 tonnes) Percent, change 1991–92 1992–93 1991–92 1992–93 Belgium and Luxembourg 219 200 -8.7 1,442 1,300 -9.8 Denmark 581 610 +5.0 3,583 4,392 +22.6 Germany 2,582 2,390 -7.4 14,473 15,475 +6.9 Greece 332 307 -7.5 940 900 -4.3 Spain 1,669 1,469 -12.0 3,197 3,899 +22.0 France 4,698 4,397 -6.4 30,889 28,909 -6.4 Ireland 93 70 -24.7 650 500 -23.1 Italy 988 918 -7.1 4,632 4,117 -11.1 Netherlands 127 118 -7.1 1,020 920 -9.8 Portugal 301 265 -12.0 381 495 +29.9 United Kingdom 2,067 1,762 -14.8 14,100 12,900 -8.5 EC 13,657 12,506 -8.5 75,307 73,807 -2.0