§ Mr. Mylesasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what size restriction there is on imports of ware potatoes from France.
§ Mr. Buchanan-SmithNo size restrictions would be applied to French potatoes on importation into this country, but I understand that a minimum size restriction of 35 mm. is applied to ware potatoes in France. The proposed EEC potato regime envisages a set of common marketing standard which would probably include size restrictions and which would apply to intra-Community trade in potatoes.
No significant quantities of French main crop potatoes have entered the country so far this year.
§ Mr. Mylesasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what size restriction there is on the marketing of home-produced ware potatoes.
§ Mr. Buchanan-SmithThe Potato Marketing Board prescribes, with certain limited exemptions, the minimum standard of grading for ware potatoes sold by registered producers for human consumption in Great Britain. For the current 321W crop, the ware standard specifies minimum and maximum riddle sizes of 40 and 80 mm. respectively, and a maximum length of 165 mm. within a 5 per cent. maximum tolerance for both size and other defects in any package or container.