asked the Minister for Agriculture if he will state the basis on which the fixed prices of 44/- per barrel as a maximum sale price for seed barley and 31/6 per barrel for seed oats were arrived at, having regard to the fact that this represents an increase of 47 per cent. and 68½ per cent. respectively on the fixed prices paid to the producer.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Price of Seed Barley and Oats.
The prices of 44/- per barrel and 31/6 per barrel fixed for seed barley and seed oats respectively are not prices which must be paid but maximum prices which may not be exceeded. The object of fixing maximum prices was to prevent the charging of excessive prices such as took place last spring.
In fixing these maximum prices regard was had to the prices paid to growers in the first instance by seed assemblers, the reduced weight of grain when conditioned and recleaned, handling and storage charges, the cost of transport to local merchants, and a reasonable margin of profit to the assembler and the retailer.
In fixing those maximum prices, the Minister must be satisfied that there is some justification for arriving at a price which allows the percentage increase set out in the question. I do not think that can be justified and I would like him to give us some justification.
I think the price is fair for a high-class seed merchant who turns out seed in good condition.
Did the Minister impose any standard of germination and purity?
Not in this order.
I am asking a question which is all-important to farmers this year. Was there a standard of germination and purity that the seed should come up to, or at least come within certain limits, fixed by the Minister?
That is fixed by law. It is not in this order.
Then the Minister has not done his job. In ordinary competition we could go to the merchant who would give us the best seed, and perhaps it would be better to fix the price at 10/- a barrel higher, if we were sure of the seed.
The Deputy said that the Minister was not doing his job. The Minister was perfectly aware that there is a law dealing with that matter, and that should be sufficient.
Can the Minister justify a price of 31/6 per barrel for seed oats?
I have already justified it.