HC Deb 19 November 1992 vol 214 cc376-8W
Mr. Morley

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is his estimate of the percentage of United Kingdom plantings of winter wheat, spring wheat, spring barley, winter barley, oats, rye, sugar beet, potatoes and oilseed rape of(a) the most popular variety, (b) the two most popular varieties and (c) the three most popular varieties; if he will name the varieties; and whether the percentages of plantings to the top three varieties covers a greater or lesser proportion of total plantings to that crop than was the case 10 years ago.

Mr. Curry

Although actual planting by variety is not recorded for cereals and oilseed rape, the tables show figures based upon information collected under certified seed production records. The use of seed retained on the farm outside this system is not recorded.

For potatoes, the three most popular varieties of potatoes planted in 1992 in the United Kingdom were Maris Piper (12 per cent.); Record (10 per cent.) and Estima (9 per cent.) accounting in total for 31 per cent. of the crop, compared with 1982 when they were Maris Piper (17 per cent.), Desireé (14 per cent.) and Record (8 per cent.), accounting in total for 39 per cent. of the crop.

United Kingdom certified seed for commercial crop production for harvest in 1992
Per cent. of volume
The most popular variety Name Per cent. accounted for
Winter wheat Riband 22
Spring wheat Axona 38
Spring barley Blenheim 21
Winter barley Marinka 21
Per cent. of volume
The most popular variety Name Per cent. accounted for
Oats Image 43
Rye Halo 25
Sugar beet2 Celt 24
Oilseed rape Falcon 22
Per cent. of volume
The two most popular varieties Names Per cent. accounted for
Winter wheat Riband, Beaver 38
Spring wheat Axona, Tonic 72
Spring barley Blenheim, Alexis 39
Winter barley Marinka, Puffin 40
Oats Image, Solva 60
Rye Halo, Sentinel 45
Sugar beet2 Celt, Saxon 44
Oilseed rape Falcon, Envol 42
Per cent. of volume
The two most popular varieties Names Per cent.1 accounted for
Winter wheat Riband, Beaver, Haven 51
Spring wheat Axona, Tonic, Canon 86
Spring barley Blenheim, Alexis, Tyne 51
Winter barley Marinka, Puffin, Pastoral 53
Oats Image, Solva, Aintree 77
Rye Halo, Sentinel, Conrah 56
Sugar beet2 Celt, Saxon, Rex 61
Oilseed rape Falcon, Envol, Libravo 55
United Kingdom certified seed for commercial crop production for harvest in 1982
Per cent of volume
The most popular variety Name Per cent. accounted for
Winter wheat Avalon 20
Spring wheat Timmo 49
Spring barley Triumph 24
Winter barley Igri 49
Oats Peniarth 61
Rye Rheidol 53
Sugar beet2 Monoire 25
Oilseed rape Jet Neuf 72
Per cent of volume
The most popular variety Name Per cent. accounted for
Winter wheat Avalon, Bounty 38
Spring wheat Timmo, Broom 93
Spring barley Triumph, Golden Promise 44
Winter barley Igri, Sonja 83
Oats Peniarth, Pennal 98
Rye Rheidol, Lovaszpatoinai 64
Sugar beet2 Monoire, Nomo 45
Oilseed rape Jet Neuf, Rafal 89
Per cent of volume
The most popular variety Name Per cent. accounted for
Winter wheat Avalon, Bounty, Brigand 49
Spring wheat Timmo, Broom, Sicco 98
Spring barley Triumph, Golden Promise, Koru 54
Per cent of volume
The most popular variety Name Per cent. accounted for
Winter barley Igri, Sonja, Maris Otter 94
Oats Peniarth, Pennal, Maris Quest 100
Rye Rheidol, Lovaszpatonai, Dominant 74
Sugar beet2 Monoire, Nomo, Monotri and Salohill 69
Oilseed rape Jet Neuf, Rafal, Elvira 95
1 Apart from winter wheat, these percent figures are all less than for 1982.
2 The information for sugar beet relates to actual commercial plantings in 1992 and 1982.