asked the Minister for Agriculture whether he is aware (a) that two cargoes of potatoes from Carlingford, County Louth, were inspected and passed as first-class ware potatoes by Department of Agriculture inspectors in the first week of January; (b) that the price for the first cargo was reduced by 19/6 per ton by the British potato importing monopoly; and if he will state whether he has taken any steps to secure recoupment of the 19/6 per ton loss suffered by the exporters; and, further, whether he proposes to take steps to ensure, in the interest of potato growers and exporters that, when potatoes have been passed by his inspectors, the fixed price will be paid and that our farmers and exporters will not suffer a loss through unjustifiable cuts by the British import monopoly.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Price for Potatoes.
My information is that a cargo of some 540 tons of ware potatoes was shipped from Carlingford on the 2nd January last and that, on inspection at Bristol by officials of the British Ministry of Food, part of the cargo was found to be affected with dry blight and wire worm. The Ministry immediately notified the Irish Potato Marketing Company who in turn informed the exporters concerned, and one of the latter crossed to Bristol to inspect the potatoes. I understand that the Ministry has made a reduction in respect of the unsound potatoes but that the amount of the reduction is still the subject of correspondence with the potato marketing company. I would like, however, to point out that, under the terms of the contract for the supply of the potatoes, the Ministry was entitled to reject or rehandle the cargo and either of these courses would have involved the exporters in a much greater loss. The responsibility for ensuring that the potatoes are in sound condition and comply in full with requirements rests with the exporter, and the fact that the bags are sealed by an inspector of my Department does not relieve the exporter of this responsibility. The Deputy will no doubt appreciate that it would not be practicable for the inspector to examine the potatoes in every bag presented to him for sealing.
Is it not the practice and has it not been the practice for a number of years for Department inspectors to inspect potatoes for export and pass them as being fit for export or reject them as being unfit for export? Do exporters not pay a fee to the Department of Agriculture for this inspection and if that is so surely a duty lies on the Department of Agriculture to support the exporters against a cut in price by the British monopoly by giving the evidence of their departmental inspectors that the potatoes were passed as suitable potatoes for export?
The answer to the Deputy's query is: yes, the Department does inspect eggs and other commodities outgoing, but the long established practice has been to do that by a process of test check. I wonder is the Deputy aware in this case that the exporters' representative saw the potatoes at Bristol and, we are advised, is in process of arriving at an amicable settlement with the British Ministry of Food and is not unappreciative of the forbearance of the British Ministry of Food in not electing for one of the remedies to which they were entitled under the strict letter of the contract, that is, to rehandle or reject the whole parcel?
The Minister is aware, I think, that my information is that these potatoes were up to standard in every way. The position of the exporters is that there were two cargoes of potatoes and that the potatoes were all of the same standard, both of high quality. The British Ministry of Food rejected one cargo without any cause whatsoever although the potatoes were on all fours, potatoes of first-class quality. All I would urge upon the Minister is that there is evidence which his inspectors can give that they found these potatoes in both cargoes to be of high quality.
The Deputy is clearly misinformed. The consignor of the potatoes went to Bristol and there examined the potatoes with the officials of the Ministry of Food. So far as the Department of Agriculture is aware, far from complaining that the Ministry of Food acted in a Draconian way, the consignor is prepared to say that in the circumstances the Ministry of Food acted with moderation and reasonableness and it is merely a matter of agreement to arrive at the appropriate deduction which should be made in view of the special circumstances obtaining. I think I should add in justice that, while the Department is constantly ready to sustain the Potato Marketing Board in any differences it may have with the Ministry of Food on matters of this kind, our experience and that of exporters to Great Britain to date in dealing with the Ministry of Food with regard to potatoes has been that they have acted reasonably and honourably in every transaction we have had.
That is not my experience and I would like the Minister to go into the matter further. I was talking to a consignor.