§ Mr. Colin Shepherdasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the total hectarage of potatoes grown in the United Kingdom in the crop year 1985–86; and how much of this was subject to the ordinary levy of the Potato Marketing Board.
§ Mr. GummerThe total field area of potatoes in the United Kingdom in the crop year 1985–86 is provisionally forecast as 192,300 hectares. All plantings of potatoes in Great Britain by producers registered with the Potato Marketing Board are subject to the board's ordinary area levy. The board estimates that such plantings amounted to436W 162,720 hectares in 1985–86, of which approximately 8,500 hectares were also subject to the payment of excess area levy.
The difference between the areas of potatoes in the United Kingdom and in Great Britain is accounted for by plantings in Northern Ireland (13,000 hectares approximately), plantings by unregistered producers in Great Britain (5,000 hectares approximately) and by the fact that the PMB statistics are based on planted area, which disregards unplanted parts of fields, such as headlands and ditches (11,000 hectares approximately).