§ Mr. Wingfield Digbyasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what is his latest estimate of the 1968 harvest; and how it compares with 1967.
§ Mr. John MackieProvisional estimates made at the end of September indicate that cereal yields in England and Wales may be below those of 1967 by 3 cwt. per acre for wheat, 2 cwt. per acre for barley and 1½ cwt. per acre for oats. Root and fodder crops, on the other hand, were then generally expected to yield as well as, or even rather better than, last year.
Total cereal production will clearly be well below last year's total—possibly by between 5 and 10 per cent.—but until final yield estimates are available, I cannot be more precise.