§ 69. Major Legge-Bourkeasked the Minister of Agriculture what steps he is taking to ensure an adequate supply of potatoes in the coming season in the light of the recent flooding, both in England and in Holland and Belgium.
§ Mr. NugentAccording to the reports my right hon. Friend has received about 7.000 acres of potatoes (mostly maincrop) are usually grown in the areas of England affected by the recent floods. This is a small percentage of the total potato acreage, and no doubt growers will consider making good the lost acreage elsewhere.
I cannot answer for the situation in Holland and Belgium. On present information my right hon. Friend sees no reason to think that this year's United Kingdom production programme need be seriously affected by the floods.
As stated in the reply of 27th January to my hon. Friend the Member for Maidstone (Mr. Bossom), it is the Government's policy to encourage the production of enough potatoes to satisfy consumer demand, and the arrangements for the guaranteed market for potatoes of the 1953 crop announced by my right hon. and gallant Friend the Minister of Food on 5th January should enable growers in all areas to plan this season's planting programme with confidence.