27 SEPTEMBER 2003, Page 39

From Richard Prosser Sir: Do not blame farmers for the

subsidy regime — politicians put them in place; farmers are no different from any other businessmen if money is on offer. I refer you to the railways, aircraft fuel, new Jaguar and BMW factories just down the road, etc.

If you must cite New Zealand, please add the most important fact behind their success — that their government devalued the NZ dollar by at least, I believe, 25 per cent at the same time. I somehow cannot see UK or EU governments doing that.

Richard Prosser

Atherstone, Warwickshire