§ Miss Quennellasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what impact the rise of between 25 per cent. and 30 per cent. in the cost of animal feeds has had upon the White Paper calculation on the profitability of the farming industry;
(2) in view of the fall in market prices to livestock farmers, and the rise in the cost of all agricultural inputs, what revision should now be made in the White Paper forecasts for the viability of the industry.
§ Mr. BuchanThere is no reason to alter significantly the estimates of aggregate cost increases for feeding stuffs in 1973–74 given in the 1974 Annual Review White Paper which included estimates of additional cost increases arising from price rises notified after the formal calculations were made. As for the profitability or viability of the farming industry, many factors affect the calculations of the net income of the industry, and it is not practicable at this stage to make a full reassessment of the forecasts for 1973–74 contained in the White Paper.