§ Mr. Willeyasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will make a statement on the experiments being carried out on the storage of tomatoes.
Mr. AmoryThere is sometimes an over-supply of tomatoes during the summer. This is usually of short duration, but heavy losses may be incurred by growers. Holding back part8W of the excess for one or two weeks by means of suitable storage would be of great benefit.
The Department of Scientific and Industrial Research has carried out research on the conditions under which tomatoes can be stored for short periods. In 1954 and 1955 my Department collaborated with the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research and the Tomato and Cucumber Marketing Board in trials on a commercial scale of the results of this research. In neither year was there a pronounced peak of production, so that conditions for the trials were not particularly favourable.
Nevertheless it was shown that, provided the tomatoes are carefully selected and of even quality, short-term storage is technically practicable; and that the financial results were sufficiently promising to warrant further trials.
Conditions in the cool wet summer of 1956 did not permit a further trial, but it is proposed to continue the series this year. In the meantime, the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research has continued its studies of the behaviour of different varieties of tomatoes in store.
I am sending my hon. Friend copies of the reports on the 1954 and 1955 trials published by my Department.