HC Deb 12 December 2002 vol 396 cc446-7W
Andrew George

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the average(a) farmgate and (b) retail price is of (i) one kilogram of (A) beef, (B) lamb, (C) pork, (D) chicken, (E) turkey, (F) bacon, (G) dessert apples, (H) potatoes, (I) tomatoes, (J) cauliflower and (K) peas, (ii) one pint of (A) milk, (B) cream, (C) yoghurt, (iii) one dozen eggs and (iv) one litre of (A) English wine and (B) brandy, distinguishing between (1) organic and (2) conventionally produced foodstuffs in each case. [85349]

Mr. Morley

[holding answer 5 December 2002]: The farmgate and retail prices of conventionally grown foodstuffs, where available, are shown in table 1. Prices are not collected for English wine or brandy. Small quantities of cream and yogurt are sold at the farmgate direct to consumers at retail prices. The amount of processing taking place between farmgate and retail varies from commodity to commodity; an indication is given in the table. Farm gate prices include produce destined for highly processed food, which is normally lower quality and sells at a lower price.

Limited information is available on prices of organically produced food. Indications of current farm gate prices are shown in table 2, where available, as

Table 1: conventionally grown produce
£
Produce £ per Farmgate value Retail value Indication of further processing
Beef1 Kg 1.70 3.84 Slaughtered, trimmed and cut
Lamb1 Kg 2.36 4.84 Slaughtered, trimmed and cut
Pork1 Kg 0.94 2.26 Slaughtered, trimmed and cut
Chicken2 Kg 0.68 2.24 Slaughtered
Turkey3 Kg 1.16
Bacon1 Kg 0.96 3.54 Slaughtered, trimmed, cut and cured
Apples, dessert4 Kg 0.38 1.22 Packing and grading where off farm
Potatoes5 Kg 0.09 0.50 Packing and grading where off farm
Tomatoes4 Kg 0.73 1.43 Packing and grading where off farm
Cauliflower4 Kg 0.23 0.68 Packing and grading where off farm
Peas3 Kg 0.57
Milk4 Pint 0.10 0.37 Pasteurised, bottled and delivered
Eggs2 Dozen 0.54 1.64 Packing and grading where off farm
1Farmgate and retail prices provided by the Meat and Livestock Commission, average of January to September 2002.
2Retail prices provided by the ONS, average of Janaury to October 2002.
3Retail prices not available from the ONS.
4Retail prices from DEFRA's aggregate agricultural account, estimates for 2001–02 crop year.
5Retail prices from the expenditure and food survey.
Table 2: organically grown produce
£
Produce £per Farmgate value
Beef Kg 2.20–2.30
Lamb Kg 2.50–2.60
Pork Kg 1.90–2.10
Chicken1 Kg 2.22
Turkey Kg
Bacon Kg
Apples, dessert Kg 0.90–1.10
Potatoes Kg 0.25–0.30
Tomatoes Kg
Cauliflower Kg 20.40–0.50
Peas Kg 2.51
Milk3 Pint 0.18
Cream Pint
Yoghurt Pint
Eggs Dozen 1.20–1.50
1Calculated from an average weight of 2.25 kg per chicken.
2Head.
3Price for milk sold as organic, does not include organic milk that is sold in the conventional market.

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