§ 65. Mr. Hurdasked the Minister of Materials if, in view of the decision to free fertilisers from control from 1st July next, he will give an estimate of prospective supplies; and to what extent the use of fertilisers has increased during the past three years.
§ Sir A. SalterIt is expected that the supplies of fertilisers available next season will be sufficient to meet the requirements estimated by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture. These requirements are for phosphatic34W fertilisers having a phosphoric acid content of 400,000 tons, potassic fertilisers having a potash content of 210,000 tons and nitrogenous fertilisers having a nitrogen content of 235,000 tons. It is estimated that the use of fertilisers for the season ending on 30th June will show an increase of 8 per cent. and 10 per cent., respectively, for nitrogen and potash over the average of the past three years, with no change for phosphates.