§ Mr. Pawseyasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the current European 268W Community intervention price per tonne for sugar beet, expressed in pounds sterling; what information he has on the current average world price for sugar, similarly expressed; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. GummerThere is no European Community intervention price for sugar beet, but that for white sugar is currently £335.19 per tonne. The London daily price for white sugar, which may be regarded as representative of the world price was 228 dollars (£157.06) per tonne on 7 April 1986. Prices on the world sugar market, which is a residual and highly volative one, have been depressed for some time but trade estimates that 1985–86 world production may fall below consumption have recently caused prices to rise above their lowest levels.