HC Deb 07 April 1971 vol 815 cc198-9W
Mr. Arthur Lewis

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, from information available from international sources, what was the average grower return from sugar beet, expressed in pounds per ton ex farm in the European Economic Community during 1970, or the most recent 12 months for which figures are available; to what extent subsidies were paid; and how these compare with the average return in the United Kingdom market, with comparisons to show net returns after allowing for differentials in tax, cost of living, and other items as necessary to show as exact comparison as may prove possible.

Mr. Charles Morrison

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) from information available from international sources, what was the average grower return from sugar beet, expressed in pounds per ton ex farm in the European Economic Community during 1970 or the most recent 12 months for which figures are available; and how this compares with the average return in the United Kingdom market;

(2) from information available from international sources, what was the average grower return from sugar beet, expressed in pounds per ton ex farm, in West Germany, France, Italy, Belgium, Holland and Luxembourg during 1970 or the most recent 12 months for which figures are available; and how this compares with the average return in the United Kingdom market.

Mr. Prior

Average prices for sugar beet in the European Economic Community are not available. For the 1970–71 crop, the minimum prices payable by the sugar factories for beet of 16 per cent. sugar content delivered to a collecting point were:

Italy £ per long ton Elsewhere £ per long ton
Within basic production quotas 8.28* 7.20
Between basic and maximum production quotas 4.85 4.23
* Including subsidy of £0.47 from the Italian Government.
In addition the grower in the European Economic Community is entitled to the return of the wet beet pulp ex-factory free of charge, or its value.

The guaranteed price for the 1970–71 crop in the United Kingdom was £6.95 per ton for beet of 16 per cent. sugar content delivered to the factory, which was equivalent to about £6.05 per ton ex-farm. Moreover in the United Kingdom the factory obtains for this price full title to the beet pulp.

It is not practicable to make adjustments in these figures to allow for differences between the United Kingdom and the European Economic Community in the tax and other factors.