HC Deb 22 March 1993 vol 221 cc504-5W
Mr. John Marshall

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what information he has on the price of potatoes for processing in each Community country; and what studies have been made of the impact of the differences on(a) employment in the United Kingdom and (b) the trade gap.

Mr. Curry

Information on the price of potatoes for processing in all the other 11 member states is not available. However in the Netherlands potatoes are currently £27–£32 per tonne compared to £25–£50 per tonne, depending on variety, in Great Britain. Our analysis indicates that, in the context of the system of supported prices under our potato marketing scheme, processed potato imports have grown from 250,000 tonnes to 556,000 tonnes (raw equivalent) over the last 10 years. Although these imports were mainly at the cheaper end of the market, we estimate that they represent a loss to the Great Britain economy of some £125 million. This clearly also represents a loss of production and thus employment in favour of the continent.

Mr. John Marshall

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the trend in consumption of(a) potatoes and (b) processed potatoes over the last decade.

Mr. Curry

The latest available information is as follows:

Mr. Curry

Ad hoc intervention arrangements exist in France, Italy, Portugal and Spain, and the Netherlands operates intervention for seed potatoes only. No member state, other than the United Kingdom, has quota arrangements.

Dame Peggy Fenner

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what support he has received from within the potato industry for the abolition of the potato marketing scheme.

Mr. Curry

We have received representations from the Potato Processors Association, the British Retail Consortium, the Potato Growers Action Group and a number of individual growers in favour of abolition.

Dame Peggy Fenner

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he expects to make an announcement on the proposed regime for potatos.

Mr. Curry

In Standing Committee on 3 March I made it clear that the Government, in negotiation of the Community regime, will not be pressing for the retention of the quota and market support elements of the potato marketing scheme.

The draft regime will come back to the Council of Ministers for decision as soon as the European Parliament has given its opinion. That opinion is not expected before April.