Written question asked by Andrew Murrison (Conservative) on Wednesday, 25 January 2017, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Friday, 27 January 2017. It was answered by George Eustice (Conservative) on Tuesday, 31 January 2017 on behalf of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Oilseed Rape

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, on what dates she has met representatives of the (a) agricultural and (b) retail sectors to discuss the decline in oilseed rape harvests; and what steps she has taken as a result of those meetings.

Answer: There is no record of discussions with representatives of the agricultural or retail sectors to discuss the decline in oilseed rape harvests specifically. Defra continues to support the improvement of oilseed rape through its Oilseed Rape Genetic Improvement Network (OREGIN). This network is dedicated to the development of new pre-breeding material with key resilience traits such as resistance to fungal pathogens, improved nutrient uptake efficiency, rooting and establishment as well as improved quality traits

Secondary information