§ 67. Mrs. Gillian ShephardTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what progress has been made on monitoring for traces of rhizomania in sugar beet.
§ Mr. MacGregorMy inspectors, assisted by British Sugar fieldsmen, have checked over 12,000 hectares of beet crops since August when the outbreak of rhizomania in Suffolk occurred. Samples from each field inspected have been tested by Ministry scientists and no further trace of infection has been found. Now that the sugar beet crop is being delivered to the factories, British Sugar staff are alert for any symptons of rhizomania. Any suspicious beets will be tested by the Ministry. Samples from loads with low sugar yield will also be tested.