§ 42. Sir A. Hurdasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how current supplies of bacon and other pig meat, home produced and imported separately, compare with those of a year ago; how the rate of subsidy compares; to what extent retail prices have fallen; if he expects that home supplies will continue to increase; and if he proposes to effect some limitation of imports to ensure that supply and demand are equated more closely so as to avoid making undue calls on taxpayers for the rest of the year.
§ Mr. SoamesI circulate below the figures requested, but during the first four months of this year home production of bacon and pork were about 4 per cent. and 11 per cent. respectively and imports 7 per cent. and 3 per cent. higher than in the same period last year. The average rate of subsidy for pigs in the first nine weeks of the current fatstock year was 13s. 10½d. compared with 8s. 4d. a year ago. My information is that retail prices of both pork and bacon are substantially lower than a year ago.
7WAs I have already told the House, the Governments of the principal supplying countries were asked earlier this year to pay regard to the state of this market in planning their exports. Their replies were encouraging. We can expect bacon prices to strengthen during the summer, but I intend to keep in close touch with export
UNITED KINGDOM IMPORTS AND HOME PRODUCTION OF BACON AND HAM AND PORK —— 1961 January-April 1962 January-April Increase on 1961 000 tons Per cent, total 000 tons Per cent. total 000 tons Per cent. Bacon and Ham Imports … … 125.0 64.8 133.9 65.6 8.9 7.1 Home Production … … 67.8 35.2 70.2 34.4 2.4 3.5 Total … … 192.8 100.0 204.1 100.0 11.3 5.8 Pork Imports … … 5.9 3.7 7.7 4.4 1.8 3.1 Home Production … … 152.5 96.3 169.1 95.6 16.6 10.9 Total … … 158.4 100.0 176.8 100.0 18.4 11.6