asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce whether he is in a position to make a statement regarding the bread supply during the next six months; and whether, if there is a likelihood that flour will be in short supply next spring and during the early summer, he will indicate at once the steps which are being taken to cope with that situation.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Wheat, Bread and Maize Supplies.
asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he can hold out any hope of an improvement in the flour supply position; whether the loaf will be of a better quality, at an early date; if the existing bread ration will be increased for the coming winter; and if he will make a general statement on our future food position and what are the prospects of improved supplies.
asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he will state the estimated yield of home-grown wheat from the 1947 harvest; and the quantity of wheat which it will be necessary to import during the current cereal year in order to maintain the present bread ration.
asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce whether he is now in a position to indicate what supplies of wheat and maize are likely to be imported during the next six months.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 16, 17, 20 and 22 together.
Owing to the abnormal weather conditions which prevailed during last winter and spring the wheat acreage sown in this country showed a considerable reduction as compared with previous years. Substantial imports will, therefore, be necessary to maintain the distribution of flour and bread at the present level. It is not yet possible, however, to determine, with any degree of accuracy, the actual volume of imports which will be needed up to the harvest of 1948, as that will depend on the quantities of wheat delivered to the flour mills from the crop recently harvested. A reliable estimate cannot yet be made of the average yield from that crop, but indications so far are that yields are well below average.
There is, as Deputies are aware, a serious world shortage of cereals this year and in order to secure equitable distribution of the available world export surplus of grain, allocation is being continued by the International Emergency Food Council. The council determines allocations on a quarterly basis, and this means that importing countries can have no assurance covering the long term supply position. The allocations made so far cover the period up to the end of December, and those for the January-March quarter, 1948, will not be determined until later in the present month.
Because of the world scarcity of cereals and the uncertainty as regards imports, I am unable to give precise answers to a number of the points raised, but it will be clear to Deputies that the most practical contribution we can make towards the easement of the very serious grain problem is to secure that every possible barrel of wheat from the home crop is made available for flour milling.