HC Deb 26 April 1984 vol 58 cc587-8W
Mr. Colvin

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many farmers came into dairying in the two 12 months periods, 1 October 1981 to 1 October 1982 and 1 October 1982 to 1 October 1983; and how many cows this represents.

Mr. MacGregor

No information is available on the number of new entrants into dairying nor how many cows this might represent.

Mr. Colvin

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many farmers went out of dairying in the two 12-month periods, 1 October 1981 to 1 October 1982 and 1 October 1982 to 1 October 1983; and how many cows this represents.

Mr. MacGregor

The information required is not available in the form requested. The only details available relate to numbers of dairy holdings and the numbers of dairy cows on them. This information as at the June census for England and Wales is as follows:

Year Number of Dairy Holdings Number of Dairy Cows
1981 47,169 2,637,869
1982 45,833 2,683,540
1983 45,297 2,744,597

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