§ 78. Sir A. Hurdasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will explain the financial arrangements he has made with the Potato Marketing Board to provide growers with an outlet for the 1960 crop potatoes that are surplus to human requirements; and to what extent he anticipates that the price guarantee of £13 a ton will be effective.
§ Mr. GodberThe Government have agreed to meet two-thirds of the cost of a buying programme to be undertaken by the Board; the remaining one-third will be met by the Board from the deficiency payments which accrue to it under the guarantee arrangements.
In so far as the average market price of potatoes sold for human consumption is less than the guaranteed price, the guarantee will be fully implemented by the payment of the appropriate amount of deficiency to the industry.