asked the Minister for Agriculture whether he has satisfied himself that Clare phosphate fertiliser at £12 per ton is an economical proposition; if he will state what is its relative value with superphosphate at £13 per ton; whether it is of any value for tillage crops, and whether it could be produced more cheaply than £10 per ton f.o.r.
Ceisteanna.—Questions. Oral Answers. - Clare Phosphate Fertiliser.
Samples of this fertiliser which have been analysed on behalf of my Department in recent months contained less than 27 per cent. total phosphates, no water soluble phosphates and less than 1 per cent. citric soluble phosphates, as determined by the standard method. The treatment to which Clare phosphate has been subjected in the manufacture of this commodity has effected no appreciable change in the nature of the phosphates present in the original rock. In view of previous experiments with crushed Clare phosphate, I am satisfied that the use of the fertiliser mentioned is not an economic proposition. I have no information about the cost of producing the material in question.
It would appear that, in order to make it useful as a fertiliser, Clare rock phosphate has to be treated with sulphuric acid as is now being done by the fertiliser manufacturers in the production of superphosphate.
The superphosphate now available at £13 per ton contains 30 per cent. water soluble phosphate and is, therefore, of considerable value as a fertiliser. A mixture of Clare and imported rock phosphate is used in the manufacture of this superphosphate.