asked the Minister for Agriculture if he will state how many registered growers of wheat have completed their sowings of winter wheat, and whether he will consider warning wheat growers against sowing winter varieties of seed in place of spring varieties lest serious losses to the growers should result on failure of such sowings to come to maturity.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Sowing of Winter Wheat.
Dr. Ryan
In view of the passing into law of the Agricultural Produce (Cereals) Act, 1935, it is not now necessary for wheat growers to become registered and, accordingly, a register of wheat growers is no longer kept.
Steps have already been taken to warn farmers against the risks of sowing winter varieties of wheat when the time for so doing has passed and in addition to the issue of reminders, to growers and to seed merchants, on the subject, the importation of seed of winter varieties will not be permitted after a certain date.
Is the Minister in a position to give any estimate of the number of growers of wheat who have completed their sowing of winter wheat, or is he in a position to give any estimate of the number of persons who got supplies of winter wheat seed, with the intention of sowing it, but who have been prevented by the inclement weather from completing the sowing?
Dr. Ryan
We have attempted to make such an estimate, but I am afraid it would be absolutely unreliable.
Would the Minister give us the figure, such as it is, that has been laid before him as the best estimate that can be made of the percentage of persons who have failed to make the sowings they intended to make?
Dr. Ryan
I think it would be misleading to give any figure, but one thing I can say definitely is that there is probably less wheat sown this year than last year.
asked the Minister for Agriculture if arrangements will be made whereby supplies of winter seed wheat held by farmers who, owing to the unseasonable weather have been unable to sow their crop, would be exchanged for a spring variety of seed.
Dr. Ryan
I am not in a position to make any such arrangements. In any event, the season for sowing winter wheat has not yet passed inasmuch as Queen Wilhelmina may be sown for a week subsequent to this date and Squarehead Master for at least a fortnight or three weeks.