asked the Minister for Agriculture if he will state in tons the amount of phosphatic manure and lime purchased by farmers in the years 1948, 1949 and 1950.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Phosphatic Manure and Lime.
No information is available as to the quantities of phosphatic manures and lime purchased by farmers. The total quantity of phosphatic manures produced by home manufacturers and imported in the seasons 1947-48 and 1948-49 was 202,000 and 278,000 tons respectively. The figure for the present season is not yet available as the manufacturing year does not end until 30th June.
Statistics of the production of agricultural lime are not available, and having regard to the variety of sources of lime for application to the land—ground and burned limestone, sea sand, factory lime, marl, etc.— it would be impossible to give any reliable estimate of the quantities of lime used. It can, however, be stated that while the use of burned lime has diminished somewhat, the use of other forms of lime has greatly increased and shows every prospect of continuing to expand.