Intervention Food Stocks

HC Deb 07 July 1999 vol 334 cc552-3W

Mr. Llew Smith

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the daily cost to the European Union for the destruction of intervention food stocks in the last year for which figures are available. [89833]

Mr. Rooker

Except in comparatively rare instances where they became damaged in store, intervention stocks of cereals, beef and milk products are sold back onto the market when circumstances permit.

Special arrangements exist for recognised producer groups to withdraw from the market certain fish and fruit and vegetables subject to their meeting the required grading standards. Withdrawn fish stocks may be returned to the sea or denatured for use in the production of fish meal. Fruit and vegetable stocks are destroyed by biodegradation or composting but may also be provided free to non-profit making organisations where their use can be shown to be additional to the organisations' normal requirement.

Unpublished EU figures ¹ for the financial year ended 15 October 1998 show the total cost of compensation paid to producer groups as:

	£million
Fruit and vegetables	96.56
Fish	6.98

Separate figures for the various means of disposal are not available.

Figures for the UK are:

	£million
Fruit and vegetables	1.89
Fish	1.89

In the marketing year 1998–99 the UK supplied fruit and vegetables to the value of £14,100 to non-profit making organisations.

Withdrawals occur on a seasonal basis and the daily cost could only be determined by assuming that the expenditure was spread evenly over the year.

¹ Source:EU Commission DGVI GI DataEcu converted to UK £ using representative rate current at 31 December 1998.