§ Mr. Donald Stewartasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the estimated production of potatoes for the current year; and what acreage has been planted in the United Kingdom.
§ Mr. BishopThe 1976–77 crop season, which is now coming to an end, has been one of overall shortage in which total United Kingdom production was reduced, by weather conditions, to about 4.8 million tonnes compared with the normal 6½–7 million tonnes. It is too early to make firm forecasts relating to the 1977–78 crop but the indications are that the area planted to potatoes in the United Kingdom will probably be slightly above the 1976–77 crop figure of 222,000 hectares. Given reasonable weather this should provide sufficient supplies to meet our requirements.
§ Mr. Donald Stewartasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what quantity of potatoes was imported into the United Kingdom during 1976.