§ Mr. GillTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what the value was of the ex-farm sugar beet crop in each of the past five years; and what is the estimated comparable figure post implementation of the proposed new EU sugar regime. [137588]
§ Ms QuinThe value of the UK sugar beet crop in the last five years was as follows:
£million 1995 355 1996 358 1997 329 1998 295 1999 291 The future value of the crop will depend on a number of factors, including sugar beet yields and the level of sugar production quotas. Quotas are expected to continue 60W to be constrained by current WTO limits on export subsidies; the extent of the constraint will be determined in part by future world market prices.