§ Mr. MoateTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has received about the level of soft fruit imports from eastern Europe; what steps are being taken to monitor quantities and prices; and what is his assessment of whether the European Economic Community and the United Kingdom have the necessary information and power to ensure that such imports are unsubsidised.
§ Mr. CurryMy right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland and I have received numerous representations from growers and their representatives about the instability in the Community market for semi-processed soft fruit in recent months. This market is significantly influenced by substantial imports from Poland and Yugoslavia, with which the EC764W Commission makes annual agreements involving monitoring of quantities and prices of imports. Subsidies on imports from third countries generally are a matter for the EC Commission which has the necessary power to take any appropriate action. Following a request from the United Kingdom, the Commission has now introduced minimum import prices in the face of a disturbed market.
I have continued to press the Commission to implement the undertaking it gave last year when substantial tariff concessions were granted on Polish imports of the products in question. These involved the strengthening of the agreements with suppliers, notably by the introduction of different prices for the different qualities of products involved.