asked the Minister for Agriculture if he will state what quantity of barley of this year's crop brought the price of 15/- per barrel, which is the price quoted in the circular issued by the Department of Agriculture dealing with agricultural conditions in Saorstát Eireann on 1st November, 1933; in how many instances was this price obtained; was any Wexford grown barley bought at this price; what does the term "proportionate figures" mean in the following quotation from the same circular, "prices for white oats were from 7/- to 8/6 per barrel (4/- to 4/10 per cwt.) with black oats at proportionate figures"; what in actual cash is the market value per barrel of this year's crop of black oats; what proportion of the black oats crop grown this year in County Wexford has found a market at any price; what steps he proposes to take to secure a market for all the black oats in County Wexford that cannot be sold this year, and what proportion of the white oats in County Wexford offered for sale to the buyers under the scheme bushelled 40 lbs.
Ceisteanna.—Questions. Oral Answers. - The Price of Barley.
The general information regarding crops and the prices obtaining for agricultural produce, which is published monthly in the report referred to in this question is collated from reports furnished monthly to the Department of Agriculture by the instructors in agriculture for every county in Saorstát Eireann, supplemented by information furnished by special market reporters. In the particular report referred to, the prices for barley were quoted as 13/- to 14/6 and 15/- per barrel; the latter, obviously an exceptional price, being reported from five different areas, but not from Wexford. The prices obtainable in County Wexford since the opening of the season appear to have varied from 13/- to 13/9 per barrel.
It is well-known that best white oats normally fetch a higher price than black, the difference usually varying from 1/- to 2/- per barrel according to district, although in some districts it may be more marked where the quality of the oats is comparatively poor. It would appear from the information collected by the Statistics Branch of the Department of Industry and Commerce relating to the average weekly prices at representative markets in the Saorstát, that the average price of black oats, sold between the 30th September last and the 18th inst, varied from 6/7 to 7/3 per barrel.
While it is not possible to state even approximately the proportion of the crop of black oats grown in County Wexford which has been marketed, it is evident from the statistics already mentioned that sales have taken place each week since the opening of the season, as prices are quoted week by week, varying from 5/6 to 6/- per barrel.
The scheme recently introduced for the purchase of white oats bushelling 40 lbs. or over under a Government guarantee against loss to the merchants partaking in it was promoted with the object of relieving the pressure on the market by taking off such quantity of best quality oats for other purposes as would leave an opening for the sale of the balance of the surplus production of both white and black varieties to meet normal demands. That scheme has been in actual operation for only a few weeks, and the first returns from the merchants, who became registered as partakers in it, showing their purchases, will not be due until the 7th proximo. It is not practicable, therefore, to give a definite reply to the concluding part of the question. It is, however, known from individual instances which have come under notice that fairly considerable quantities of white oats bushelling 40 lbs. have been purchased in County Wexford, as elsewhere.