HC Deb 21 June 1948 vol 452 cc106-7W
60. Mr. Hurd

asked the Minister of Agriculture the cropping targets which the county agricultural executive committees have been asked to reach for the 1949 harvest; and to what extent he expects the production of pigs and poultry to be increased in the coming year.

Mr. T. Williams

The 1949 objective for England and Wales is a total area of 10,256,000 acres under tillage, which includes 2,340,000 acres under wheat; 1,001,100 acres under potatoes; 391,700 acres under sugar beet; and 200,000 acres under linseed. A significant increase in numbers of pigs and poultry has already occurred, but I am not at present prepared to make a quantitative forecast of production next year.

Mr. E. Evans

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he will take steps to ensure that farmers maintain an adequate proportion of their land under crops and do not revert unduly to the system of grassland farming that was prevalent before the war.

Mr. T. Williams

Yes. Our present economic position requires that we should produce an increasing proportion of our food from our own soil and for the next few years we shall need to grow relatively high acreages of grain, potatoes and other crops. The Government greatly appreciate the voluntary response which farmers have made to the crop targets set for 1948 and are confident that they can rely on the great majority for a continuation of their efforts to meet the country's needs. They do not propose to seek emergency powers to direct farmers to grow specific crops: farmers will still be free to decide which crops are best suited to their land and other conditions on their farms and plan their production accordingly. Neither is it proposed to serve directions generally for the maintenance of the tillage area. I am however satisfied that it is necessary, not only in the national interest but in the interests of the willing farmers themselves, to seek powers which will enable county agricultural executive committees to deal with the unwilling. The Government have, therefore, decided to seek the authority of Parliament to use the powers in Section 95 (2) (d) of the Agriculture Act, 1947, to enable directions to be given to farmers to keep not more than a specified acreage of their land under permanent or temporary grass.