Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she has made an assessment of the relationship between minimum juice content requirements and the economic viability of UK a) cider apple and b) perry pear orchards.

The department has not made a formal assessment of the relationship between minimum juice content requirements for cider and perry products and the economic viability of UK cider apple and perry pear orchards. A range of factors can affect the viability of orchards, including production costs, yields, market conditions, and consumer demand. Defra continues to engage with stakeholders on issues relating to cider and perry orchards and supports their management through agri-environment schemes and grants.