I live on the edge of the countryside and for years have seen an increase in the number of fields growing oil seed rape and fields set aside growing nothing. Farmers get better prices for growing oil seed rape with less problems with harvesting etc.

We can't blame Africa and India along with the weather all the time. Our cereal crops are more resilient and laboratory tested, and we have coped before. Much of our produce comes from abroad, hence the higher fuel costs, but why do we purchase so much from abroad. Okay, some items are not available in the winter, but all our basic needs should be, and much more.

Our farming industry has been in decline for years, and now we are about to suffer due to short sightedness and the undervalueing of our farmers. Mr Plaskitt says that the Common Agricultural Policy has gone through much needed reform with far less waste and greater freedom for farmers to produce the crops they wish to at the volume they want. Is this the right approach?

So what do we want for both us and the starving world population? Grain mountains or fields of oil seed rape to run a vehicle for a day. - Mr A F Harvey, Kenilworth Road, Cubbington.