§ 25. Mr. Peter Millsasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what contribution the Potato Marketing Board has made to improving the standard of ware potatoes on the United Kingdom market.
§ Mr. Buchanan-SmithThe Potato Marketing Board lays down and enforces quality standards for home-grown ware potatoes. The initial results of a current ADAS investigation into the quality of ware potatoes at wholesale178W markets indicate that only about a quarter of supplies are meeting the board's standard. The board and ADAS are together examining ways of minimising mechanical damage, which has been the major fault found so far in this season's crop. It is important that progress be made in this area if our producers are to compete effectively with imports and improve their own returns.