Potato growing groups in Jersey and funding from the States

1240/5(2070)

QUESTION TO BE ASKED OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE ON TUESDAY 16th MARCH 2004, BY THE DEPUTY OF ST. JOHN

Question

Would the President inform members –

(a ) w hether the Committee is aware of any disquiet within the farming community over the possible

merger of five larger growers, and, if so, to what extent is the Committee involving itself with the industry in this matter?

(b ) w hether the Committee will consider cutting all funding to the agriculture/horticulture industry and

review how these funds could be otherwise spent, and, if not, the reasons why?

(c ) w hether the Committee has agreed to provide financial support to a group of potato growers seeking

to promote a vodka factory, and, if so, can the President identify the land involved?

Answer

1. Yes, the Committee is awareof the concernfeltby some potato growers over the possible mergerofsomeof the larger growers. The Committee is being informed of developments by the President of the Jersey Farmers' Union and the Chairman of the Jersey Potato Export Marketing Board. The position is that privately owned businesses and individuals have decided to merge to form onelarge farming andmarketing organisation and have given notice to some of the other, usually smaller,growers that the new group will not want tomarket their potatoes next year. Those involved in the new venture are naturally free to organise their affairs as they wish and the EconomicDevelopmentCommitteeis powerless to prevent this; furthermore, the Jersey Potato ExportMarketingSchemeisunder a stayofthe Royal Court, withdrawing powers that the Committee would have to become involved in the contractual arrangements between growers and the marketing organisations.
2. No, the Committee is notconsidering cutting funding tothe Industry. However, a new agricultural strategyis about to bedeveloped with the help of the Agricultural Advisory Board,when funding, along with other current policies will be reviewed.
3. The Jersey PotatoExportMarketing Board was granted a total of£90,000in2003undertheMarketing Support Schemeto enable the Board to carry out a full-scale feasibility investigation into all aspects of the production of vodka from Jersey Royalpotatoes.The investigation covered availability of raw material, identification of the optimal manufacturing process,requirements for a site and building requirements for machineryandequipment.As far as I am awarenositehasbeenidentified.