§ Mr. Barry FieldTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has received about the infestation of aphids.
§ Mr. CurryThe Department has received several representations from individual farmers and farmer groups concerning the recent aphid infestation. These have been made to the Agricultural Development and Advisory Service (ADAS) and have mainly expressed concern at the number of aphids that have survived the mild winter to multiply on cereal crops. ADAS has also received many inquiries regarding the risk of aphid-transmitted virus diseases in cereals, sugar beet, potatoes and vegetable brassicas.
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§ Mr. Barry FieldTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what his Department's response has been to recent representations about infestation by aphids; and what indications there are of regional variations in the infestation of aphids.
§ Mr. CurryThe Department has continued to provide farmers and growers with up-to-date information on the incidence and control of aphids and the risk of aphid-borne virus diseases. This information has been available from the Agricultural Development and Advisory Service (ADAS) in the form of articles in the farming press in MAFF divisional bulletins, distributed to all farmers with 20 hectares of crops, and in regional crop intelligence reports available to subscribers.
The most recent reports from ADAS entomologists indicate that the incidence of aphids is very variable within each region. Nevertheless, in cereals, levels of bird-cherry aphid are generally higher in south-east and south-west England and in parts of East Anglia than in the midlands, northern England and Wales. The same pattern is apparent for cabbage aphid on oilseed rape. At the present time, no clear regional variation is apparent in the incidence of other aphid species.