Mr. Gerard Murphy:

Deputy Penrose asked whether we were harvesting to suit ourselves. Legally, we are obliged to do everything to optimise the value of the crop. This is particularly the case with regard to thinnings, where most farm partners are now. There is a three-year window to thin crops and it cannot be left too long as it would increase windthrow risk. In the past two years we have entered into our most intensive thinning cycle, with over 200 partnerships having carried it out in that period. We do not harvest to suit ourselves, though we look at the issue in the context of the market.