Orchards (Hansard, 8 December 2003)

§ Andrew George
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many orchards there were in each year since 1997, broken down by county; and what their acreage was. [140712]

§ Mr. Bradshaw
The following figures show the number of main holdings in England by county/unitary authority 1997–1999 that recorded an area of commercial or non commercial orchards and the area covered by the orchards in hectares. Data for 2000–2002 is available on the Defra website at the following link:
http://www.defra.gov.uk/esg/work_htm/publications/ cs/farmstats_web/data map_links/data_menu.htm
229W

1997 1998 1999

Counties/Unitary Authorities Orchard
Area (Ha)
Hdgs with
Orchards
Orchard
Area (Ha)
Hdgs with
Orchards
Orchard
Area (Ha)
Hdgs with
Orchards

Birmingham 0 0 0 0 0 0

Solihull ¹— ¹— ¹— ¹— ¹— ¹—

Coventry ¹— ¹— ¹— ¹— ¹— ¹—

Dudley and Sandwell ¹— ¹— ¹— ¹— ¹— ¹—

Walsall and Wolverhampton ¹— ¹— ¹— ¹— ¹— ¹—

Peterborough 0 0 0 0 0 0

Cambridgeshire CC 1,326 150 1,220 153 1,074 140

Norfolk 1,061 197 1,049 191 937 178

Suffolk 1,166 118 1,055 120 948 109

Luton 0 0 0 0 0 0

Bedfordshire CC 31 20 33 21 40 24

Hertfordshire 18 26 23 29 18 31

Southend-on-Sea ¹— ¹— ¹— ¹— ¹— ¹—

Thurrock ¹— ¹— ¹— ¹— ¹— ¹—

Essex CC 1,176 133 1,099 133 851 119

Inner London-West 0 0 0 0 0 0

Inner London-East 0 0 0 0 0 0

Outer London-East and North East ¹— ¹— ¹— ¹— ¹— ¹—

Outer London-South ¹— ¹— ¹— ¹— ¹— ¹—

Outer London-West and North West ¹— ¹— ¹— ¹— ¹— ¹—

Berkshire 25 20 32 21 35 23

Milton Keynes ¹— ¹— ¹— ¹— ¹— ¹—

Buckinghamshire CC 125 37 112 42 105 41

Oxfordshire 142 37 135 43 133 38

Brighton and Hove 0 0 0 0 0 0

East Sussex CC 602 95 600 109 596 98

Surrey 56 38 53 43 65 46

West Sussex 200 60 186 67 156 61

Portsmouth 0 0 0 0 0 0

Southampton ¹— ¹— ¹— ¹— ¹— ¹—

Hampshire CC 304 46 305 54 262 55

Isle of Wight 8 13 23 18 11 21

Medway 578 25 508 25 377 22

Kent CC 11,831 722 11,158 747 10,390 700

Bristol, City of 0 0 0 0 0 0

North and N E Somerset, South Glos 210 65 210 72 177 73

Gloucestershire 675 178 681 194 689 205

Swindon ¹— ¹— ¹— ¹— ¹— ¹—

Wiltshire CC 20 23 24 27 23 30

Bournemouth and Poole ¹— ¹— ¹— ¹— ¹— ¹—

Dorset CC 146 51 187 59 163 64

Somerset 1,124 287 1,152 316 1,158 355

Cornwall and Isles of Scilly 90 128 134 160 99 157

Plymouth ¹— ¹— ¹— ¹— ¹— ¹—

Torbay 14 6 15 6 13 6

Devon CC 652 336 740 396 699 453

England 27,698 3,995 26,960 4,393 25,524 4,389

¹ Denotes that the data has been treated to avoid disclosure of information relating to individual holdings.

Source:
June Agricultural Census

§ Andrew George
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what gains and losses in(a) actual and (b) percentage terms there have been in the size of the national orchard for every year since 1992 for which records are available. [140713]

§ Mr. Bradshaw
The following totals show the hectares of commercial and non commercial orchards grown on agricultural holdings in England.

Area Loss/Gain Loss/Gain

Thousand hectares Percentage

1992 30.7

1993 30.1 -0.6 -2

1994 30.0 -0.1 -0.3

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Area Loss/Gain Loss/Gain

Thousand hectares Percentage

1995 26.6 -3.4 -11.3

1996 26.6 0 0

1997 28.4 +1.8 +6.8

1998 27.6 -0.8 -2.8

1999 26.2 -1.4 -5.1

2000 25.8 -0.4 -1.5

2001 26.0 +0.2 +0.8

2002 23.6 -2.4 -9.2

2003 23.4 -0.2 -0.8

¹ The figures include estimates for minor holdings

Source:
June Agricultural Census

§ Andrew George
To ask the Secretary of State for environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many(a) growers and (b) growers' spouses were engaged in apple growing in each of the last five years. [140777]
231W

§ Mr. Bradshaw
The following figures refer to holdings in England which recorded either commercial or non commercial orchards. No split is available for apple growing. Data for the total number of farmers, partners, directors and spouses (if working on the holding) combined are collected annually from the June Agricultural and Horticultural Census as a total. Figures are not available for each item.

Total Farmers, Partners, Directors and Spouses
Full and Part Time on Holdings with Orchards

1998 7,038

1999 7,029

2000 10,033

2001 10,637

2002 9,996

Notes
(a) The figures show farmers, partners, directors and their spouses on holdings with orchards, it is not possible to tell if they are only engaged in activities linked to fruit growing.
(b) Figures for 1998 and 1999 show main holdings only, from 2000 onwards minor holdings are also included.
(c) Due to a register improvement exercise in 2001 labour figures prior to this are not directly comparable with later results.
Source:
June Agricultural Census

§ Andrew George
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many(a) partners and (b) directors were engaged in apple growing in each of the last five years. [141568]

§ Mr. Bradshaw
The following figures refer to holdings in England which recorded either commercial or non commercial orchards. No split is available for apple growing. Data for the total number of farmers, partners, directors and spouses (if working on the holding) combined are collected annually from the June Agricultural and Horticultural Census as a total. Figures are not available for each item.

Total farmers, partners, directors and spouses—
full and part time on holdings with orchards

1998 7,038

1999 7,029

2000 10,033

2001 10,637

2002 9,996

Notes:
1 The figures show farmers, partners, directors and their spouses on holdings with orchards, it is not possible to tell if they are only engaged in activities linked to fruit growing.
2 Figures for 1998 and 1999 show main holdings only.
3 Due to a register improvement exercise in 2001 labour figures prior to this are not directly comparable with later results.
Source:
June Agricultural Census

	1997	1998	1999
Counties/Unitary Authorities	Orchard Area (Ha)	Hdgs with Orchards	Orchard Area (Ha)	Hdgs with Orchards	Orchard Area (Ha)	Hdgs with Orchards
Birmingham	0	0	0	0	0	0
Solihull	¹—	¹—	¹—	¹—	¹—	¹—
Coventry	¹—	¹—	¹—	¹—	¹—	¹—
Dudley and Sandwell	¹—	¹—	¹—	¹—	¹—	¹—
Walsall and Wolverhampton	¹—	¹—	¹—	¹—	¹—	¹—
Peterborough	0	0	0	0	0	0
Cambridgeshire CC	1,326	150	1,220	153	1,074	140
Norfolk	1,061	197	1,049	191	937	178
Suffolk	1,166	118	1,055	120	948	109
Luton	0	0	0	0	0	0
Bedfordshire CC	31	20	33	21	40	24
Hertfordshire	18	26	23	29	18	31
Southend-on-Sea	¹—	¹—	¹—	¹—	¹—	¹—
Thurrock	¹—	¹—	¹—	¹—	¹—	¹—
Essex CC	1,176	133	1,099	133	851	119
Inner London-West	0	0	0	0	0	0
Inner London-East	0	0	0	0	0	0
Outer London-East and North East	¹—	¹—	¹—	¹—	¹—	¹—
Outer London-South	¹—	¹—	¹—	¹—	¹—	¹—
Outer London-West and North West	¹—	¹—	¹—	¹—	¹—	¹—
Berkshire	25	20	32	21	35	23
Milton Keynes	¹—	¹—	¹—	¹—	¹—	¹—
Buckinghamshire CC	125	37	112	42	105	41
Oxfordshire	142	37	135	43	133	38
Brighton and Hove	0	0	0	0	0	0
East Sussex CC	602	95	600	109	596	98
Surrey	56	38	53	43	65	46
West Sussex	200	60	186	67	156	61
Portsmouth	0	0	0	0	0	0
Southampton	¹—	¹—	¹—	¹—	¹—	¹—
Hampshire CC	304	46	305	54	262	55
Isle of Wight	8	13	23	18	11	21
Medway	578	25	508	25	377	22
Kent CC	11,831	722	11,158	747	10,390	700
Bristol, City of	0	0	0	0	0	0
North and N E Somerset, South Glos	210	65	210	72	177	73
Gloucestershire	675	178	681	194	689	205
Swindon	¹—	¹—	¹—	¹—	¹—	¹—
Wiltshire CC	20	23	24	27	23	30
Bournemouth and Poole	¹—	¹—	¹—	¹—	¹—	¹—
Dorset CC	146	51	187	59	163	64
Somerset	1,124	287	1,152	316	1,158	355
Cornwall and Isles of Scilly	90	128	134	160	99	157
Plymouth	¹—	¹—	¹—	¹—	¹—	¹—
Torbay	14	6	15	6	13	6
Devon CC	652	336	740	396	699	453
England	27,698	3,995	26,960	4,393	25,524	4,389
¹ Denotes that the data has been treated to avoid disclosure of information relating to individual holdings.

	Area	Loss/Gain	Loss/Gain
	Thousand hectares		Percentage
1992	30.7
1993	30.1	-0.6	-2
1994	30.0	-0.1	-0.3

Total Farmers, Partners, Directors and Spouses Full and Part Time on Holdings with Orchards
1998	7,038
1999	7,029
2000	10,033
2001	10,637
2002	9,996