asked the Minister for Agriculture if he is aware that farmers who have kept wheat in the ricks to thresh in the spring find themselves unable to dispose of it for seed, and if, to ensure that they may not be at a loss through keeping it throughout the winter, he will arrange to have the seed marketed for them.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Disposal of Seed Wheat.
Mr. Walsh
As the Deputy must be aware, the great bulk of the seed wheat sown each season in this country is purchased by growers from the merchants who supply them with their agricultural requisites, and these merchants either assemble the seed themselves in the autumn or purchase it in bulk from assemblers. It would be quite impracticable for me to attempt to find a market for individual growers who now wish to dispose of seed wheat retained in the rick for sale rather than for providing their own seed. Any surplus can, of course, be disposed of to the flour millers.
That is poor consolation for anyone who keeps wheat for the purpose of seed. Their money is locked up during the winter when the wheat is in rick. I am further informed by the seed assemblers that they are not in a position to buy seed wheat as they cannot dispose of the stocks they already have. Could not the Minister so fix a price that anyone who keeps wheat in rick over the winter for milling in the future would get at least an additional 5/-?
Mr. Walsh
We have no control over the price of seed wheat.
Arising out of the Minister's reply, does he not consider that it would be desirable to encourage farmers to hold over a certain amount of their wheat until the spring so as to relieve the storage position during the autumn? Would he not consider giving an additional price for the wheat held over until the spring, even for milling purposes?
Mr. Walsh
That is an arrangement that could be made with the assembler and the individual who has kept the wheat.