asked the Minister for Agriculture if he is aware of the serious losses incurred by farmers on the sale of last year's oat crops; and, if so, if he will safeguard them against similar losses this year by fixing the price of the 1945 oat crop now at not less than 30/- a barrel.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Price of Oats.
I cannot agree that the minimum price of 21/- per barrel fixed for oats of the 1944 crop involved serious loss to growers who sold their oats at that price. The experience of the past few months has shown that there was no real surplus of oats and that prices well above the fixed minimum were obtained by those growers who refrained from putting on the market immediately after threshing the oats which they did not need for their own use. I do not propose to increase the minimum price of 21/- per barrel already announced for oats of the 1945 crop.
Is the Minister aware that the majority of the oats in Wexford were sold for 18/- and 22/- a barrel? Did not the Minister refuse to fix a price last year? He took 10/- out of the pockets of the growers.
Farmers did put their oats on the market in a sort of panicky fashion. I advised them against that, and I had not the support of the Deputy. Would the Deputy tell us whether or not he favours control? He objects to control for barley, yet he wants it for oats.
The Minister advised the farmers to keep the grain crop and they had to keep it in hired sacks, and the rats were eating it. These people were not in a position to keep their grain crops, and the Minister knows it.