asked the Minister for Agriculture whether, in view of the continued dissatisfaction amongst farmers at the decision to make all pollard available to millers for the manufacture of compound feeding stuffs, and of the fact that there is now more pollard available than when flour extraction from wheat was at a higher rate, he will reconsider the position with a view to making all pollard and bran available for straight sale to farmers.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Pollard and Bran Supplies.
The position in regard to pollard and bran has not changed since the 7th March, when the Minister for Agriculture replied fully to a question on the subject put down by Deputies Browne, Mongan and Palmer. There is nothing I can usefully add to that reply.
Is it not obvious that the handing over of pollard at £14 per ton to the millers for mixing into a compound which is afterwards sold at £27 per ton is unjust? Would the Parliamentary Secretary not consider it much better in relation to poultry and pig producers to make it available at £14 per ton to producers?
Might I ask if the Parliamentary Secretary is aware that on a previous occasion the Minister announced that he was considering importing pollard at £22 per ton and if any decision has been taken in that respect since?
That does not arise on this question.
The Minister said on that occasion that the price at which imported pollard would sell here would be approximately £27 per ton, and he considered that the optimum benefit would be derived by mixing the available home supplies with other ingredients to make a compound feeding stuff. I think the situation has not changed. As both Deputies are aware, the supply of pollard from home sources is considerably smaller than pre-war, due to the higher percentage of extraction.