§ Mr. Nelsonasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the outcome of his consultations on his intention to terminate the current Land Settlement Association marketing arrangements as from the beginning of April 1983.
§ Mr. Peter WalkerIt remains the Government's policy that the tenants of the estates should take over the responsibility for the marketing of their own produce. However, in the light of the representations which I have received, and on the advice of the chairman of the Land Settlement Association, I am prepared to arrange for the continuation of the association's centralised marketing services up to 31 December 1983. These services will be provided to those growers who wish to use them, provided the uptake at each estate is sufficient to support the services on a full recoupment basis. The aim of this final extension is to provide more time for the estates concerned to develop the alternative marketing arrangements foreshadowed in my announcement of 1 December 1982. I hope that those estates which have made substantial progress towards establishing co-operatives will in the event be able to take over responsibility for their own marketing well before 31 December 1983, when the LSA arrangements described above will be terminated.
All other aspects covered by my announcement of 1 December 1982, including the arrangements for the sale of holdings to tenants, will remain unaffected.