Mr. John D. TaylorTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the state of the seed potato and ware potato industry.
§ Mr. ViggersTotal shipments of seed potatoes from the 1987 crop are in excess of 50,000 tonnes compared with just over 52,000 tonnes at the corresponding time from the 1986 crop. This has been achieved in spite of a 3 per cent. fall in the area of seed potatoes planted in 1987 and some problems with seed exported.
Ware potato prices for the 1987 crop have been lower than for the 1986 crop, but the cumulative average grower's price at 15 April was £62.06 per tonne. This is 594W well in excess of the target price of £46 per tonne set under the market support arrangements. Prices have been easing back over recent weeks, but this has had only a marginal effect on the cumulative average grower's price for the crop.