§ Mr. Hardyasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he can offer any forecast of the likely levels of United Kingdom cereal and root crop production in 1976; and which crops are likely to be adversely affected by the lower rainfall to date this year.
§ Mr. BishopIt is too soon to make any precise forecast of the likely levels of the United Kingdom cereal, potato and sugar beet crops in 1976. Cereals240W production is expected to be above last year's crop and below the record harvest in 1974. Spring sown cereals on lighter land in the south and east are the most affected by the lower rainfall this year. Potato production is expected to be above last year's crop and below that of 1974. The 1976 crop was planted in ideal conditions and the area planted is greater than last year. But the recent very high temperatures particularly in the south and east of England have cast serious doubts on the prospects of our achieving a normal yield over the United Kingdom as a whole. Despite the dry weather there is still potential for an average yield of sugar beet, with a total crop greater than the poor harvests of the two previous years.