§ Mr. Parryasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what alteration there has been in acreage under sugar 339W beet in each of the last three years to the latest available date.
§ Mr. BishopThe areas contracted for sugar beet planting and the areas actually harvested up to the 1978–79 harvest are:
Areas in hectares Contracted Harvested 1975–76 197,520 … … 193,336 1976–77 206,959 … … 200,809 1977–78 205,967 … … 200,440 1978–79 209,224 … … (estimate)206,000 (Source: British Sugar Corporation)
§ Mr. Parryasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether the United Kingdom sugar beet expansion programme has encountered any serious obstacle and is proceeding as planned.
§ Mr. BishopThere is no formal expansion programme but "Food from Our Own Resources" concluded that there was a case on United Kingdom balance of payments and resource use grounds for increasing production, and gave a possible level of production of sugar beet in 1980 of 9,450,000 tons—9,600,000 tonnes. The timing of such an increase was seriously affected by three very bad seasons—1974–75 to 1976–77—which have made it improbable that the projected production for 1980 will be reached by that time.
§ Mr. Parryasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will publish in the Official Report the method of payment to sugar beet farmers, including sources of subsidies, etc.
§ Mr. BishopSugar beet farmers sell their beet on contract to the British Sugar Corporation. There are no subsidies on the growing or marketing of beet. The contract price for beet is based on the EEC minimum beet price, which reflects the support given to the market for sugar through EEC arrangements.
§ Mr. Parryasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food from what sources United Kingdom port refineries received their supply of raw sugar for the year 1977–78; and where they will receive their supply from in 1978–79.
§ Mr. BishopThe sources from which the United Kingdom port refineries receive their supply of raw sugar is commercial340W information which we are not in a position to provide. United Kingdom imports of raw sugar in October-September 1977–78 as taken from the overseas trade accounts are set out in the table below. The bulk of this sugar will no doubt have gone to the port refineries for refining. Whilst we cannot predict future imports of raw sugar, purchases from the ACP countries and other preferential suppliers are the subject of long term contracts which the refiners have with them and are likely to continue in 1978–79.
Country and Total Tonnes Barbados … 43,415 Belize … 41,668 Congo … 5,047 Fiji … 187,327 Guyana … 195,667 India … 13,458 Jamaica … 151,508 Kenya … 2,415 Malawi … 15,673 Mauritius … 440,304 St. Kitts-Nevis-Anguilla … 18,182 Swaziland … 108,104 Tanzania … 9,930 Trinidad/Tobago … 56,897 France … 35,579 Reunion … 31,095 Netherlands … 1,408 Irish Republic … 118 Australia … 28,601 Brazil … 20,903 South Africa … 41,801 Others … 17,552
§ Mr. Parryasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will consider assisting in the purchase of European raw sugar in the future.
§ Mr. BishopI assume that my hon. Friend's Question relates to Government-financed assistance. Such Government expenditure would not be justified.