§ Lord Mowbray and Stourtonasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will make a statement on the outcome of the 1987 Annual Review of Agriculture.
§ The Minister of State, Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (Lord Belstead)A White Paper setting out the conclusions of the 1987 Annual Review of Agriculture will be laid before Parliament today. The White Paper shows that gross output at current prices is forecast to rise by 1½ per cent. to£12,198 million in 1986. The cereals harvest was a particularly good one. Output prices generally were higher but input prices were lower largely due to cheaper fuel and fertilizers.
Aggregate farming income is forecast to rise by 21 per cent. to£1,411 million in 1986, though there were marked variations over the United Kingdom as a whole. With a 2 per cent. fall in the workforce, labour productivity is forecast to rise by around 2 per cent. compared with an annual average growth rate of 6 per cent. over the 10 years up to 1985.