asked the Minister for Agriculture if he is prepared to provide for growers of cereals credit facilities similar to those provided by the Irish Sugar Company for beet growers.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Credit Facilities for Cereal Growers.
The sugar beet required by the Irish Sugar Company is grown under contracts entered into between the company and the growers which provide that the crop, when sown, be comes the property of the company. The credit granted by the company in respect of seeds, manures and advance payments is, therefore, secured by the crop. Growers of cereals, however, do not ordinarily make similar contracts with the buyers of their crops and in some cases the crop, or the greater part of it, is not grown for sale but for consumption on the grower's farm.
Consequently it is not practicable to provide for growers of cereal crops credit facilities similar to those provided for beat growers, but county councils are empowered to provide credit facilities for the purchase of seeds and fertilisers required by growers of grain and other crops.