asked the Minister for Agriculture if, in view of the general deterioration in the true to type standard of commercial wheat; he will take the necessary steps to ensure that crops will be examined by competent inspectors prior to harvesting when foreigners are easily detected, so that the most suitable crops can be selected for seed.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Inspection of Seed Wheat.
While it would be impracticable to arrange for the inspection of the 80,000 acres or so which are necessary to produce the country's requirements of commercial seed wheat, arrangements are being made with a view to the location of suitable crops of certain varieties which are in short supply and which are regarded as being specially suited to the poorer areas. The larger firms who are participating in the Department's special seed assembly scheme have undertaken to have inspected the growing crops from which they hope to assemble stocks of seed of spring varieties and all assemblers will be urged to do their utmost to secure reasonably pure stocks. The agricultural instructors are prepared to co-operate generally with the seed assemblers.
A scheme is now in operation where by the produce of pedigree foundation stocks of seed wheat will be available in considerable quantities in future years. It is hoped that the larger assemblers will take advantage of the existence of these stocks to arrange for the growing of seed wheat on contract, and it is hoped that the scheme generally will in a short time raise the standard of purity in seed wheat throughout the country.
Is the Minister satisfied that the type of inspection which will be made by seed assemblers is satisfactory for the purpose? The Minister is satisfied that our varieties have deteriorated from that point of view?
They have with regard to purity, certainly.
Is he satisfied that the inspection will be sufficient to meet the case?
It is very difficult to be satisfied about these matters, but I think we have made every possible effort to get seed assemblers to be careful about the seed they select. They have given an undertaking that they will, at any rate, do more inspection than they did up to this.
The Minister realises that the attempt in that regard last year was very poor?
It was, but I think they will do better this year.