asked the Minister for Agriculture whether he is aware that seed wheat wholesalers charge 61/6 per barrel for winter wheat f.o.r.; that freight charge on this to places in the rural areas amounts to 3/6 per barrel in certain cases, and that the fixed retail price is 65/- per barrel, leaving the retail distributor no profit margin; and whether he will take steps to remove this anomaly so as to prevent a hold-up in the retail distribution of seed wheat.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Wheat Charges.
I have been informed that some seed merchants are charging 61/6 per barrel for undried seed wheat of winter varieties, but I am not aware that all seed wheat assemblers are charging that price. Having regard to the fact that the maximum price payable to growers by seed assemblers for wheat purchased for sale as seed is 52/- per barrel, I consider that the maximum selling price of 65/- per barrel fixed in respect of undried seed wheat of winter varieties should provide a sufficient margin for a reasonable profit to the retailer as well as to the assembler of the seed. I do not, therefore, propose to alter the present selling price.
Is the Minister aware that at the present moment seed wheat merchants down the country, who want to make seed wheat available to their customers, cannot get it except at 61/6 per barrel f.o.r.? What are these people to do? They want to get the seed wheat to their customers, but they know of no seed wheat assembler who is prepared to sell it for less. Will the Minister publish a list of those who are prepared to sell it for less? I have tried all over the country, but I could not get it except at the price I have mentioned in my question. Will the Minister publish a list of seed wheat assemblers who are prepared to sell the seed wheat at less than 61/6?
My Department has received five complaints altogether on this matter from the whole country. I do not want to dispute with the Deputy when he says that he has tried every seed wheat assembler in the country, but I think it should be possible to get the seed wheat under that price.
Surely, the Minister will agree that a great many of them are asking 61/6, and if that is profiteering, it ought surely to be possible for the average merchant down the country to ask the Department to publish a list of those who are prepared to offer seed wheat for less—to publish it in the papers in the same way as the Minister for Supplies publishes a list of fixed prices. Otherwise, is the Minister aware that the seed wheat will not be distributed throughout the country at all? Will he consider that?
Yes, but we have been considering it, as a matter of fact.
And, in the meantime, if a man rings up the Department, will he be informed as to the names of those who are prepared to sell the seed wheat for less?
I am not sure, but we shall try to get the information for him.
You will?
Yes.
Very good.