§ 61. Mr. Rentonasked the Minister of Food whether he is aware that the Minister of Agriculture has asked fruit growers to plant an additional 5,000 acres of pears and that the growers have already to a great extent acceded to this request at considerable capital cost; and what steps he intends to take to ensure pears grown in this country will be saleable in the home market.
§ Mr. StracheyI welcome the proposed increase in the acreage of eating pears for there is a continuing demand in this country for good quality pears, and our home production, which amounts to under 2 lb. per head of the population, is far from satisfying it.