§ Mr. Nabarroasked the Minister of Agriculture the approximate tonnage of the United Kingdom plum and damson crop during 1952 compared with 1950 and 1951; the approximate orchard acreage figures in each of the three years raising plums and damsons; and the approximate tonnage and percentage of the 1952 crop remaining unsold and wasted.
§ Sir T. DugdaleThe plum and damson crop this year has been exceptionally heavy, with a gross yield of marketable fruit on the trees roughly estimated at 200,000 tons, compared with 120,000 tons in 1951 and 70,000 tons in 1950. There are no firm figures for plum and damson acreages in the years cited, but the area appears to have declined at a rate of 3 per cent. per annum between 1950 and 1952. About 60,000 tons, or 30 per cent., of the 1952 crop is estimated to have remained unsold.