§ Mr. Torneyasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what action he proposes to take concerning any end-of-season surplus of potatoes following the ban on exports.
§ Mr. BuchanIn order to provide an assured market for such a surplus, good quality ware potatoes remaining on farms at the end of the season—mid-June—will be bought by the Potato Marketing Board, with agreement of Ministers and with Exchequer assistance, at £18.50 a ton. Provisional contracts will be made as soon as possible by the Potato Marketing Board which will ensure that the arrangements do not prevent supplies from being marketed as necessary over the remainder of the season to meet demand. The arrangements are intended to safeguard the market against fluctuations in supplies and prices during the period until the new crop takes over.
Similar arrangements will be made in Northern Ireland.