HC Deb 09 November 1999 vol 337 cc496-8W
Mr. Paul Marsden

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what funding his Department has provided for research and development into organic farming for each year from 1992 to date; and if he will make a statement. [97280]

Mr. Morley

MAFF has provided the following funds for research and development into organic farming since 1992:

Year £000
1991–92 481
1992–93 720
1993–94 1,077
1994–95 1,058
1995–96 931
1996–97 1,116
1997–98 908
1998–99 1,481
1999–20001 2,139
1 Estimate

This includes research funded within the organic farming research programme and £323K funded under the Open Contract Scheme over the period.

In addition the organic farming sector also benefits from much of the other research the Ministry undertakes, for example, its planned spend of over £8 million on biological control techniques, plant health, animal welfare and wildlife conservation on farms this year.

Mr. Paul Marsden

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the approved length of time needed to convert farms to organic farming for(a) the United Kingdom and (b) the average EU member state. [97639]

Mr. Morley

Council Regulation (EEC) No. 2092/91 provides that as a general rule for organic products, except for perennial crops, the conversion period for the land should be two years before the first planting of a crop to be sold as organic. In the case of perennial crops the period is three years before the first harvest of products to be sold as organic. However, these periods may be varied, having regard to the previous use of the land.

In the UK the majority of conversions will extend over the full periods prescribed by Regulation 2092/91. However, shorter periods are sometimes agreed by the control body (the UK Register of Organic Food Standards) in cases where there is clear evidence that prohibited inputs have not been used on the land (e.g. the land has been subject to an environmental scheme which prohibits such inputs). Other member states are subject to the same Regulation and operate similar rules.

Mr. Kidney

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what forecast he has made of the future take-up of grant aid for conversion to organic farming. [97843]

Mr. Morley

On 4 October, we announced a review of the Organic Farming Scheme, which provides aid to farmers converting to organic farming. Future up-take of aid is an issue which will be considered in this review.

Mr. Paul Marsden

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what estimate he has made of the growth of the UK organic food market over the next five years; and if he will make a statement. [97940]

Mr. Morley

None. Estimates made by the organic sector itself indicate the size of the retail market for organic food to have been just short of £400 million in 1998–99 and project its growth to £1,500 million by 2002–03.