§ Mr. Tom KingTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what maximum moisture content standard will apply to cereals bought into intervention in the United Kingdom in the 1992–93 marketing year.
§ Mr. GummerHarvesting of many cereals was delayed throughout Britain this year because of poor weather and farmers frequently forced to combine in very wet conditions.
In these exceptional circumstances, the moisture content was bound to be much higher than usual, leading to additional costs in drying down to reach the normal intervention standard of 14.5 per cent.
I have, therefore, sought the Commission's agreement to a derogation increasing the moisture content standard to 15 per cent. for cereals sold into intervention in the United Kingdom this season. This will apply to all cereals intervened from 1 November and will ensure that United Kingdom farmers are not disadvantaged in comparison with producers elsewhere in the Community.