asked the Minister for Supplies if he is aware that seed cleaners this season supplying to retailers perennial and Italian rye grasses have departed from the usual terms of 2½ per cent. cash discount or three or four months' credit and have insisted, for best purchase terms, on payment before the end of December, 1944, for seeds to be used next spring, and, in view of the fact that traders have to extend credit until next harvest to many farmers and that cleaners enjoy a monopoly trade here, if he will ensure that sale terms are reasonable in such circumstances.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Sale of Grass Seeds.
I am aware that cleaners have altered their usual cash discount terms to retailers on sales of rye grass seed. The present arrangement is that cleaners allow no discount where payment is delayed until after the end of February but that they allow a discount of 1/- per cwt. or approximately 1.32 per cent. where payment is made between the end of December and the end of February, and a discount of 2/- per cwt. or approximately 2.65 per cent. where payment is made before the end of December. I do not consider these terms to be unreasonable.
Does the Minister realise that retailers have to wait a considerable time for their money, very often until the following harvest, when some farmers are in a position to pay? Does it not appear to be a hardship on retailers to have to comply with the new arrangement?
I do not think so.
Is there any reason why there should be a departure from the terms in operation for so many years, or is it merely because cleaners now enjoy a monopoly as rye grasses cannot be imported?
The Deputy's suggestion that the change is unfair to retailers cannot be substantiated. There is also the fact that retailers' prices are not controlled.
That is worse, because the cost is passed on.
I examined the matter and I came to the conclusion that the terms arranged for retailers are not unreasonable.
I can inform the Minister that I got a number of complaints from retailers in my constituency of the hardship involved by the change.