Potatoes (Hansard, 13 April 1984)

§ Mr. Hunter
asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will announce the support arrangements to apply for the 1984 potato crop.

§ Mr. Jopling
The Government have decided that the guaranteed price for the 1984 potato crop should remain at the existing level of £44.64/ton (£43.94/tonne).
In order to ensure stability in the market throughout the season, the Potato Marketing Board has again been asked to offer producers a contract for a proportion of their crop. The aim will be to place under contract up to 500,000 tonnes of potatoes so that they can be removed from the market in Great Britain, should this prove necessary.
The prices offered will be maintained at their present level of £7 per tonne on average above the guaranteed price. In determining the contract price for each delivery period, the Potato Marketing Board will again be asked to take account of the pattern of commercial contracting, and to give an incentive to longer term storage under proper conditions.
Consideration will be given to the need for market support to Northern Ireland. However, the level of support will depend on how closely the planted area matches the area that would be required to satisfy available markets in a year of average yields.

§ Mr. Evans
asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the cost of potatoes imported into Great Britain in 1983, by country of origin; and what were the comparable figures for each year since 1970 at constant 1970 prices.

§ Mr. MacGregor
[pursuant to his reply, 9 April 1984, c. 79]: Information is available only in respect of the United Kingdom. Following are details of the values of potato imports from different countries between 1970 and 1983. Valid series cannot be compiled of comparable figures at constant 1970 prices. The actual tonnages imported provide an alternative measure of changes in the volume of imports.
387W

United Kingdom Imports of potatoes 1970–83

Value £ million

Imported from 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983

France 0.8 0.5 0.7 0.2 1.1 4.2 2.1 4.1 5.9 4.3 3.7 3.3 9.7 2.3

Belgium/Luxembourg ^* — — — ^* 0.2 0.4 ^* — 1.4 0.3 1.5 0.8 2.2

Netherlands 0.5 ^* ^* ^* ^* 13.4 38.2 12.7 ^* 2.6 5.1 8.5 31.1 8.2

Federal Republic of Germany ^* — — — — 0.1 1.1 0.7 — ^* ^* ^* 0.5 0.1

Italy 0.5 0.5 0.4 0.2 0.3 0.7 0.3 0.3 0.5 3.9 0.7 1.0 1.8 1.8

Irish Republic 0.3 0.3 0.2 0.1 0.1 0.2 0.5 1.7 0.5 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.8 0.8

Denmark — — — —. — — ^* — — — — — — —

Greece 0.3 — — — — 0.7 1.6 1.9 2.0 2.4 1.1 3.6 1.1 5.3

Norway ^* — — — — — — — — — — — — —

Finland — — — — — — — — — — — — ^* ^*

Spain 4.0 1.7 2.6 1.6 2.4 4.2 7.2 17.0 6.9 4.3 4.7 5.0 5.8 4.8

Canary Islands 2.2 3.3 2.9 3.8 3.7 4.0 10.2 8.8 3.2 1.1 0.4 0.8 0.8 1.1

Morocco 0.6 0.3 0.6 ^* — 1.2 3.1 — — — — — 0.1 —

Algeria 0.2 0.3 0.2 — — — — 0.1 — — 0.2 0.1 ^* —

Egypt — — 3.7 6.1 4.0 1.5 1.1 16.6 7.9 13.3 17.1 12.4 15.0 10.1

Cyprus 7.1 5.1 6.0 9.0 9.9 8.8 53.5 37.2 16.8 20.3 17.4 18.9 21.8 17.1

Israel ^* 0.1 — 0.1 — 0.1 1.5 0.3 0.1 0.2 ^* ^* 1.5 0.2

Portugal ^* — — ^* — ^* 0.1 ^* ^* — — ^* — ^*

United Arab Republic 2.4 2.6 — — .— — — — — — — — — —

South Africa ^* — — — — — 0.4 0.6 — — ^* — — —

United States of America ^* — — — — — ^* — — — — — — —

Malta ^* ^* 0.1 ^* ^* ^* — 0.2 — — — — — —

Sudan — — — 0.1 — — — — — — — — — —

Lebanon — — — 0.1 — — — — — — — — — —

Barbados — — — — — ^* — — — — — — — —

Turkey — — — — — — ^* — — — — — — —

Kenya — — — — — — 0.1 0.4 — — — — — —

India — — — — — — 1.3 — — — — — — —

New Zealand — — — — — — 0.4 0.2 — — — — — —

Sweden — — — — — — — ^* — — ^* ^* — ^*

Ivory Coast — — — — — — — ^* — — — — — —

Ghana — — — — — — — — — — — ^* — —

Ethiopia — — — — — — — — — — — — — ^*

Canada — — — — — — — — — — — — — ^*

St. Lucia — — — — — — — — — — — — — ^*

Total 18.8 14.7 17.5 21.3 21.7 39.3 122.9 102.8 43.8 54.2 51.4 55.7 90.9 53.8

^* Less than £50,000

Source: United Kingdom Trade Statistics.

§ Mr. Evans
asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the value of the British potato crop in 1983; and what was the value of each year's crop since 1970 at constant 1970 prices.

§ Mr. MacGregor
[pursuant to his reply, 9 April 1984, c. 79]: Data are available only in respect of the United Kingdom. The forecast value of output of potatoes in 1983 is £504 million at constant prices. The estimated values for the years 1970 to 1983 at constant 1970 prices are as follows:

Value of potato output in United Kingdom £ million at 1970 prices

£ million

1970 118

1971 122

1972 122

1973 124

1974 124

1975 115

388W

£ million

1976 84

1977 99

1978 120

1979 126

1980 121

1981 129

1982 121

1983^* 120

^* Forecast

§ Mr. Evans
asked the Minster of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what tonnage of potatoes was imported into Great Britain, and from which country, in 1983; and what were the comparable figures for each year to 1970.

§ Mr. MacGregor
[pursuant to his reply, 9 April 3984 c. 79]: Information is only available in respect of the United Kingdom. Following are details of the tonnages of potatoes imported from different countries between 1970 and 1983.
389W

United Kingdom Imports of potatoes 1970–83

Quantity—thousand tonnes

Imported from 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983

France 12.4 7.1 9.3 2.4 12.0 37.7 10.9 21.8 41.0 29.7 27.4 25.9 43.0 15.0

Belgium/Luxembourg ^* — — — ^* 1.7 2.9 0.3 — 16.4 3.7 20.1 9.4 21.9

Netherlands 10.0 0.6 0.1 0.1 0.4 155.7 256.9 82.1 0.7 32.6 73.7 110.8 261.9 75.2

Federal Republic of Germany ^* — — — 0.1 0.6 7.8 4.7 — 0.3 0.2 0.3 4.4 0.8

Italy 5.7 6.4 5.0 1.1 2.0 3.9 0.8 1.1 1.9 18.4 2.6 5.9 5.4 6.0

Irish Republic 11.7 10.6 9.1 3.6 4.7 4.5 2.8 13.1 8.2 4.4 6.5 7.3 7.2 8.4

Denmark — — — — — — ^* — — — — — — —

Greece 4.7 — — — — 9.4 8.8 10.9 15.1 14.4 8.3 25.0 6.1 38.5

Norway 0.1 — — — — — — — — — — — — —

Finland — — — — — — — — — — — — 0.1 ^*

Spain 51.9 26.6 35.0 14.2 22.3 31.5 25.8 106.0 50.6 25.2 32.8 31.8 33.3 30.4

Canary Islands 27.8 42.4 36.6 37.2 33.9 25.5 37.4 41.9 23.9 4.9 1.7 3.2 3.9 6.9

Morocco 6.9 3.9 9.7 ^* — 14.0 11.7 — — — — — 1.1 —

Algeria 2.4 5.1 3.0 — — — — 0.3 — — 1.1 1.1 0.1 —

Egypt — — 48.1 54.8 49.4 15.9 106.4 102.6 68.2 84.0 117.0 81.1 91.1 66.4

Cyprus 137.3 126.9 121.8 114.3 109.2 72.2 135.9 189.0 116.9 140.5 128.2 132.0 130.6 132.7

Israel 0.9 2.0 — 1.8 — 0.4 6.3 2.0 0.6 1.5 ^* ^* 8.4 0.9

Portugal ^* — — ^* — 0.1 0.6 0.1 0.3 — — ^* — ^*

United Arab Republic 35.7 38.4 — — — — — — — — — — — —

South Africa 0.5 — — — — — 2.0 3.1 — — ^* — — —

United States of America 0.1 — — — — — ^* — — — — — — —

Nalta 0.7 0.5 3.0 0.9 0.4 0.6 — 0.9 — — — — — —

Sudan — — — 0.8 — — — — — — — — — —

Lebanon — — — 0.8 — — — — — — — — — —

Barbados — — — — — ^* — — — — — — — —

Turkey — — — — — — ^* — — — — — — —

Kenya — — — — — — 1.4 2.5 — — — — — —

India — — — — — — 7.0 — — — — — — —

New Zealand — — — — — — 5.4 4.2 — — — — — —

Sweden — — — — — — — 0.2 — — 0.1 ^* — 0.1

Ivory Coast — — — — — — — ^* — — — — — —

Ghana — — — — — — — — — — — ^* — —

Ethiopia — — — — — — — — — — — — — ^*

Canada — — — — — — — — — — — — — ^*

St. Lucia — — — — — — — — — — — — — ^*

Total 308.8 270.4 280.6 232.2 234.4 373.6 631.0 586.8 327.3 372.3 403.4 444.5 606.2 403.3

^* Less than 50 tonnes

Source: United Kingdom Trade Statistics.

§ Mr. Evans
asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the estimated tonnage production of potatoes in Great Britain for 1984; and what were the appropriate figures for each year to 1970.

§ Mr. MacGregor
[pursuant to his reply, 9 April 1984, c. 79]: Estimates for the years 1970 to 1983 are as follows. Information for 1984 is not currently available.

Potato production (Great Britain)

'000 tonnes

1970 7,077

1971 7,021

1972 6,223

1973 6,534

1974 6,494

1975 4,309

1976 4,458

1977 6,156

1978 6,980

1979 6,137

1980 6,708

1981 5,869

1982 6,539

1983 5,525

390W

§ Mr. Evans
asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what acreage of land is currently being used in Great Britain for the growing of potatoes; and what were the comparable figures for each year to 1970.

§ Mr. MacGregor
[pursuant to his reply, 9 April 1984, c. 79]: Estimates of the areas of land used for growing potatoes between 1970 and 1983 are as follows. Information for 1984 is not currently available.

Land area in Great Britain used for growing potatoes

'000 hectares

1970 251

1971 240

1972 222

1973 211

1974 203

1975 193

1976 208

1977 214

1978 200

1979 189

1980 191

1981 179

1982 179

1983 183

United Kingdom Imports of potatoes 1970–83
Value £ million
Imported from	1970	1971	1972	1973	1974	1975	1976	1977	1978	1979	1980	1981	1982	1983
France	0.8	0.5	0.7	0.2	1.1	4.2	2.1	4.1	5.9	4.3	3.7	3.3	9.7	2.3
Belgium/Luxembourg	^*	—	—	—	^*	0.2	0.4	^*	—	1.4	0.3	1.5	0.8	2.2
Netherlands	0.5	^*	^*	^*	^*	13.4	38.2	12.7	^*	2.6	5.1	8.5	31.1	8.2
Federal Republic of Germany	^*	—	—	—	—	0.1	1.1	0.7	—	^*	^*	^*	0.5	0.1
Italy	0.5	0.5	0.4	0.2	0.3	0.7	0.3	0.3	0.5	3.9	0.7	1.0	1.8	1.8
Irish Republic	0.3	0.3	0.2	0.1	0.1	0.2	0.5	1.7	0.5	0.4	0.5	0.6	0.8	0.8
Denmark	—	—	—	—.	—	—	^*	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Greece	0.3	—	—	—	—	0.7	1.6	1.9	2.0	2.4	1.1	3.6	1.1	5.3
Norway	^*	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Finland	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	^*	^*
Spain	4.0	1.7	2.6	1.6	2.4	4.2	7.2	17.0	6.9	4.3	4.7	5.0	5.8	4.8
Canary Islands	2.2	3.3	2.9	3.8	3.7	4.0	10.2	8.8	3.2	1.1	0.4	0.8	0.8	1.1
Morocco	0.6	0.3	0.6	^*	—	1.2	3.1	—	—	—	—	—	0.1	—
Algeria	0.2	0.3	0.2	—	—	—	—	0.1	—	—	0.2	0.1	^*	—
Egypt	—	—	3.7	6.1	4.0	1.5	1.1	16.6	7.9	13.3	17.1	12.4	15.0	10.1
Cyprus	7.1	5.1	6.0	9.0	9.9	8.8	53.5	37.2	16.8	20.3	17.4	18.9	21.8	17.1
Israel	^*	0.1	—	0.1	—	0.1	1.5	0.3	0.1	0.2	^*	^*	1.5	0.2
Portugal	^*	—	—	^*	—	^*	0.1	^*	^*	—	—	^*	—	^*
United Arab Republic	2.4	2.6	—	—	.—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
South Africa	^*	—	—	—	—	—	0.4	0.6	—	—	^*	—	—	—
United States of America	^*	—	—	—	—	—	^*	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Malta	^*	^*	0.1	^*	^*	^*	—	0.2	—	—	—	—	—	—
Sudan	—	—	—	0.1	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Lebanon	—	—	—	0.1	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Barbados	—	—	—	—	—	^*	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Turkey	—	—	—	—	—	—	^*	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Kenya	—	—	—	—	—	—	0.1	0.4	—	—	—	—	—	—
India	—	—	—	—	—	—	1.3	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
New Zealand	—	—	—	—	—	—	0.4	0.2	—	—	—	—	—	—
Sweden	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	^*	—	—	^*	^*	—	^*
Ivory Coast	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	^*	—	—	—	—	—	—
Ghana	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	^*	—	—
Ethiopia	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	^*
Canada	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	^*
St. Lucia	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	^*
Total	18.8	14.7	17.5	21.3	21.7	39.3	122.9	102.8	43.8	54.2	51.4	55.7	90.9	53.8
^* Less than £50,000

Value of potato output in United Kingdom £ million at 1970 prices
	£ million
1970	118
1971	122
1972	122
1973	124
1974	124
1975	115

United Kingdom Imports of potatoes 1970–83
Quantity—thousand tonnes
Imported from	1970	1971	1972	1973	1974	1975	1976	1977	1978	1979	1980	1981	1982	1983
France	12.4	7.1	9.3	2.4	12.0	37.7	10.9	21.8	41.0	29.7	27.4	25.9	43.0	15.0
Belgium/Luxembourg	^*	—	—	—	^*	1.7	2.9	0.3	—	16.4	3.7	20.1	9.4	21.9
Netherlands	10.0	0.6	0.1	0.1	0.4	155.7	256.9	82.1	0.7	32.6	73.7	110.8	261.9	75.2
Federal Republic of Germany	^*	—	—	—	0.1	0.6	7.8	4.7	—	0.3	0.2	0.3	4.4	0.8
Italy	5.7	6.4	5.0	1.1	2.0	3.9	0.8	1.1	1.9	18.4	2.6	5.9	5.4	6.0
Irish Republic	11.7	10.6	9.1	3.6	4.7	4.5	2.8	13.1	8.2	4.4	6.5	7.3	7.2	8.4
Denmark	—	—	—	—	—	—	^*	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Greece	4.7	—	—	—	—	9.4	8.8	10.9	15.1	14.4	8.3	25.0	6.1	38.5
Norway	0.1	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Finland	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	0.1	^*
Spain	51.9	26.6	35.0	14.2	22.3	31.5	25.8	106.0	50.6	25.2	32.8	31.8	33.3	30.4
Canary Islands	27.8	42.4	36.6	37.2	33.9	25.5	37.4	41.9	23.9	4.9	1.7	3.2	3.9	6.9
Morocco	6.9	3.9	9.7	^*	—	14.0	11.7	—	—	—	—	—	1.1	—
Algeria	2.4	5.1	3.0	—	—	—	—	0.3	—	—	1.1	1.1	0.1	—
Egypt	—	—	48.1	54.8	49.4	15.9	106.4	102.6	68.2	84.0	117.0	81.1	91.1	66.4
Cyprus	137.3	126.9	121.8	114.3	109.2	72.2	135.9	189.0	116.9	140.5	128.2	132.0	130.6	132.7
Israel	0.9	2.0	—	1.8	—	0.4	6.3	2.0	0.6	1.5	^*	^*	8.4	0.9
Portugal	^*	—	—	^*	—	0.1	0.6	0.1	0.3	—	—	^*	—	^*
United Arab Republic	35.7	38.4	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
South Africa	0.5	—	—	—	—	—	2.0	3.1	—	—	^*	—	—	—
United States of America	0.1	—	—	—	—	—	^*	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Nalta	0.7	0.5	3.0	0.9	0.4	0.6	—	0.9	—	—	—	—	—	—
Sudan	—	—	—	0.8	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Lebanon	—	—	—	0.8	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Barbados	—	—	—	—	—	^*	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Turkey	—	—	—	—	—	—	^*	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Kenya	—	—	—	—	—	—	1.4	2.5	—	—	—	—	—	—
India	—	—	—	—	—	—	7.0	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
New Zealand	—	—	—	—	—	—	5.4	4.2	—	—	—	—	—	—
Sweden	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	0.2	—	—	0.1	^*	—	0.1
Ivory Coast	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	^*	—	—	—	—	—	—
Ghana	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	^*	—	—
Ethiopia	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	^*
Canada	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	^*
St. Lucia	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	^*
Total	308.8	270.4	280.6	232.2	234.4	373.6	631.0	586.8	327.3	372.3	403.4	444.5	606.2	403.3
^* Less than 50 tonnes

Potato production (Great Britain)
	'000 tonnes
1970	7,077
1971	7,021
1972	6,223
1973	6,534
1974	6,494
1975	4,309
1976	4,458
1977	6,156
1978	6,980
1979	6,137
1980	6,708
1981	5,869
1982	6,539
1983	5,525

Land area in Great Britain used for growing potatoes
	'000 hectares
1970	251
1971	240
1972	222
1973	211
1974	203
1975	193
1976	208
1977	214
1978	200
1979	189
1980	191
1981	179
1982	179
1983	183