§ Mr. Muddasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food why officials of his Department are ordering the destruction, ploughing-back, or dyeing of Cornish potatoes; by what tonnage it is estimated that overproduction has taken place; and what is the estimated compensatory cost involved.
§ Mr. Peter WalkerThe present support-buying operation has been undertaken jointly by the Government and the Potato Marketing Board with the aim of ensuring that the average market price for the season as a whole is not less than the guaranteed price. It is not possible to estimate precisely the size of the surplus or the likely cost of dealing with it at this stage in the season, but so far 350,000 tonnes have been dyed and sold for stockfeed (not ploughed back) at a net cost to the Exchequer of about £6 million.