HC Deb 24 March 1947 vol 435 cc138-40W
66. Dr. Stross

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he will make a statement indicating the effect of the recent blizzards and the present floods upon the production of food in the country as a whole; and to what extent the contribution of home agriculture in feeding the nation and saving foreign exchange is affected.

68. Major Bruce

asked the Minister of Agriculture when he will be able to give some general estimate of the effect on our food supplies of the weather catastrophes which we have recently experienced.

Mr. T. Williams

I am not yet in a position to make a full statement. In addition to the usual quarterly farm census on 4th March I have called for special reports from my local officers. This material is now coming in and is being summarised. From the preliminary information available it appears that losses of hill sheep have been severe and that the lamb crop will be heavily reduced. Less serious losses have occurred among lowland flocks, and a certain number of cattle have also been lost in hill districts. It is too early to assess the effect of floods, frost and snow upon livestock generally and crops, but substantial loss and damage has undoubtedly occurred and the serious delay in spring cultivations and sowing must impair the ability of farmers to attain the production targets set before them for the current year and hence to make as large a contribution as we had hoped to the saving of foreign exchange. I hope to make a further statement at a later date.

67. Mr. Price-White

asked the Minister of Agriculture if, in view of the abnormal sheep and cattle losses sustained by North Wales sheep farmers during recent weather conditions and to the danger of further losses through malnutrition, he is in a position to increase temporarily the allocation of hay, straw and artificial feedingstuffs for sheep and cattle in the North Wales area.

Mr. T. Williams

The reserves of rationed cereal feedingstuffs allocated to county War agricultural executive committees in North Wales for distribution at their discretion have recently been increased for the purpose of assisting farmers with starving sheep and cattle. Hay and straw are not rationed, but committees are giving every possible assistance to farmers to obtain supplies. My right hon. Friend the Minister of Food is doing all he can to put traders in need of hay in contact with other traders who have supplies. Quantities of hay are on the way, but although this traffic has priority, movement has inevitably been impeded by the recent weather conditions.