asked the Minister for Agriculture if he is aware that several merchants who purchased large quantities of oats in former years have refused to buy any of this year's crop; and whether, in view of the inadequate storage facilities on most farms as well as the necessity for certain farmers to dispose of this "cash" crop to meet urgent demands on them, he will adopt suitable measures to prevent the wastage and loss which are inevitable if the oat crop remains on the farmers' hands for the winter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Disposal of Oats.
I am aware that in certain areas the demand for oats is slow at present, but it is premature to form an opinion on the matter. Having regard to our total requirements in respect of feeding stuffs for live stock, it is unlikely that there will be any unwanted surplus of oats. As a market is not guaranteed for oats such as applies in the case of wheat, it is not proposed to take action as suggested by the Deputy.
Having regard to the fact that farmers have been compelled to till a certain quota of their land, and that the Government, therefore, has imposed an obligation on the farmers, is there not an obligation imposed on the Government to ensure that the tillage produce can be marketed? Is the Minister aware that a number of farmers, in a public-spirited manner, have taken land extensively by conacre and sown oats, but now they cannot find a market for their produce or secure an adequate price? Would he be prepared to consider some scheme by which the glut of oats could be disposed of?
Does the Minister realise that it is in fact a very acute problem at the moment?
I do not know if anybody can suggest an effective scheme. As every Deputy knows, oats is used to the extent of about 90 per cent. for animal feeding. In fact I should say that the figure is more than 90 per cent. on the present acreage. It is all right in the case of wheat, which can be used for human food; the same applies to some extent to barley. But, in the case of oats, where eventually the market is the farmer himself—the crop is utilised for animal feeding—I think the matter must be allowed to adjust itself between one farmer and another.
I think it is a question of storage as much as anything else. The farmers have no proper means of storing the crop, and for that reason it is deteriorating. It is lying in the haggards; they have no proper storage for it. The Government adopted a kind of housing scheme in regard to wheat, and I think something on those lines would help the farmer out of the present difficulty.
The matter may adjust itself, as the Minister has said, but the difficulty is that there was a surplus carried over from last year. The Minister appreciates that. The farmers are anxious to cash in on their oats at the present time, but it is left on their hands because the merchants are also slow to buy. It might help matters if the Minister could give an assurance, so far as the merchants are concerned, that eventually they will be able realise on whatever prices are paid now. The Minister will appreciate that it is necessary to stimulate the purchase of oats. It is very undesirable, and very severe on the people, particularly on the small farmers who want to cash in on their oats in order to meet their debts, to have large quantities of the crop left on their hands.
A question has been raised about the refusal of the merchants to buy. I understand it is rather a question of the refusal of the farmers to sell. I understand that the merchants are prepared to buy, but that the farmers are not prepared to sell at the price.
That is not a fact, because in parts of the country at the moment oats is bought at as low a price as 1/3 or 1/4 a stone. The difficulty is that the merchants refuse to take it. I am afraid this matter will not adjust itself at all, because in parts of the country such as Galway what will really happen is that there will be an extra surplus next year. It is an oats county and, under the tillage Order, it is oats the people will sow. Unless we can find some scheme for the substitution of another crop, I am afraid there will be a bigger surplus of oats next year. The Minister ought to consider some scheme whereby potatoes or some other crop would be grown, in order to reduce the surplus of oats.
I am afraid those supplementaries have covered a very wide range. I have no doubt that eventually this matter will adjust itself, because there are definite indications, from figures, that the number of pigs in the country is increasing, in spite of the Pigs and Bacon Commission, and also that egg production is increasing. Of course, anybody could see that that would occur when the feeding was there, because they disappeared when there was no feeding for them. There is no doubt at all that the matter will adjust itself eventually.
Could the Minister say what the oat crop is like generally? In the south-eastern counties it is a poor crop.
I have only very preliminary reports, but so far those reports show that the oat crop is not as good as usual.
Deputy Cogan rose.
I think there has been sufficient debate on this matter.