§ Mr. Cleggasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has recently received from British tomato growers about the effects of cheap imports in cutting the price of tomatoes leading to British growers making a loss.
§ Mr. StrangThe National Farmers' Union asked for the regulations of tomato imports from both EEC and third countries to prevent what it feared would be a collapse of the home market. My right hon. Friend has replied that the market, which has since strengthened, responds to changes in demand as well as to fluctuations in supply; that seasonal supplies from the Canary Islands, our largest third country source, are nearly over; and that in competition with Community and particularly with Dutch tomatoes British growers are in fact in a better position than is sometimes suggested, especially in view of the extrade facto protection afforded by the fall in the value of sterling.