Winter Feed Costs

HC Deb 01 December 1994 vol 250 cc834-5W

Mr. Welsh

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will estimate the value of winter feed costs for hill farmers for each year since 1990; and what was the increase or decrease on the previous years.

Sir Hector Monro

It is not possible to identify winter feed costs but the value of total feed costs for livestock farmers in the Scottish less-favoured areas is set out in the following table:

	Total Feed Cost (£ per farm)	Change from previous year Total (£ per farm)	Percentage
1990–91	9,472	-52	-1 per cent.
1991–92	9,788	+487	+5 per cent.
1992–93	10,883	+1,106	+11 percent.
1993–94 (forecast)	11,775	+892	+8 per cent.

Source:

Scottish farm accounts scheme.

The sample of farms in the Scottish farm accounts scheme varies slightly from year to year. The total cost figures relate to the sample employed in the year in question. The change figures reflect the change from the previous year for an identical sample of farms.