Mr. David Adamsasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether he can make any statement on the relative disappearance of new potatoes since the introduction of a controlled price?
Major Lloyd GeorgeThe Order prescribing maximum prices for new potatoes came into force on 17th May. The glasshouse potato crop was being marketed at that time but is now finished. The outdoor crop of new potatoes is very late this year, owing to exceptional weather conditions, but supplies are increasing.
§ Mr. Evelyn Walkdenasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food how many tons of the 1940 crop of potatoes have been sent, on Government instructions, to factories?
Major Lloyd GeorgeThe total quantity of potatoes of the 1940 main crop, purchased by the Ministry of Food for processing in factories, amounted to 172,874 tons, of which 25,015 tons were snipped from Northern Ireland. Most of these potatoes were of non-keeping varieties.