§ 25. Mr. Hurdasked the Minister of Food why the price fixed for first grade lambs was maintained at 3s. 4¼d. per lb. until the end of June and then dropped 129W in one stage to 2s. 7d. per lb.; and what effect this has had on the numbers of fat lambs marketed in the last four weeks.
§ Major Lloyd GeorgeThis arrangement was agreed with the Farmers' Unions during the Price Review of February, 1951. Experience has shown that it is apt to cause difficulties in marketing, and it has now been agreed that prices next year will be reduced by stages.
The following are the details of marketings of sheep and lambs in the relevant periods:
Total entries of sheep and lambs in Great Britain ('000 head) Lambs graded as Spring lambs ('000 head) 1951 1952 1952 1st week June 87.2 102.5 11.0 2nd week June 67.0 102.2 21.2 3rd week June 92.8 119.7 47.2 4th week June 74.0 255.6 157.3 1st week July 68.6 54.0 — 2nd week July 70.0 59.4 — 3rd week July 72.9 61.5 — Total 532.5 754.9