§ Mr. HansonTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what discussions he has had with representatives of potato growers about recent price rises; what action he expects to take; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. William O'BrienTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what recent representations he has received on the price of potatoes; and if he will make a statement;
(2) what action he intends to take to prevent the price of potatoes rising above the rate of inflation; and if he will make a statement.
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§ Mr. JackI have received eight letters from right hon. and hon. Members and one from a member of the public. I have explained that, in a free market, the price of potatoes is a function of supply and demand. A cold wet spring, summer drought and a wet harvest have resulted in a reduced potato crop with attendant quality problems throughout Europe this season. This has led to average retail prices rising by 61 per cent. in the 12 months to mid-January. Prices arc now easing and are expected to continue to do so as supplies of the new crop from the Mediterranean arrive in Europe.
Mr. William O'BrienTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what amount of potatoes were exported to each country from the United Kingdom in the past 12 months.
§ Mr. JackProvisional figures for exports of fresh potatoes during the period 1 January 1994 to 30 September 1994, the latest available information, are as follows:
Exports Weight tonnes Value £000 Total of which 101,693 18,842 to EC 70,419 12,980 to non-EC 31,274 5,862 Irish Republic 35,730 7,223 Portugal 18,019 2,679 Canary Islands 13,174 1,816 Spain 8,505 1,514 Sweden 3,030 1,320 Morocco 8,343 1,200 Netherlands 3,120 493 Germany 1,774 394 Italy 1,566 351 Egypt 1,405 299 Hungary 1,008 277 Slovenia 873 212 Algeria 1,114 173 St. Lucia 528 132 France 531 131 Belgium-Luxembourg 725 103 Other 2,248 526 Note:
Totals may vary due to rounding.
Source:
Customs and Excise.