asked the Minister for Agriculture whether his is aware that merchants cannot obtain adequate supplies of seed wheat from their usual suppliers in Britain; and, if so, if he will make representations to the British Ministries concerned requesting them to issue the necessary export licences.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Supplies of Seed Wheat.
Mr. Walsh
I am aware that some merchants are unable to obtain their full requirements of seed wheat from Great Britain. The position is that, as a result of representations already made, the British authorities have agreed to permit the export to this country of 5,000 tons of seed wheat and are granting export licences to their exporters accordingly. Import licences are being granted by my Department to merchants who have arranged for the purchase of seed from British merchants who have been granted export licences. In the circumstances and in view of the fact that a substantial quantity of home-produced seed has already been assembled by traders, I do not propose at this stage to make further representations to the British authorities in the matter.
asked the Minister for Agriculture whether he will now permit the importation of seed wheat by individual merchants instead of restricting import licences to a very limited number of seedsmen and associations; and, further, if he will permit the importation of seed oats from Denmark, Sweden and Scotland.
Mr. Walsh
The British authorities have agreed to permit the export of 5,000 tons of seed wheat in this country during the current cereal year. Licences are being granted to British exporters covering this quantity and corresponding import licences are being granted to individual merchants in this country who furnish to my Department particulars of the quantity and variety of the seed they propose to import together with the serial number of the export licence held by their British supplier. There is no foundation for the suggestion that import licences are restricted to a very limited number of seedsmen and associations.
It has already been agreed to permit the importation of 3,000 tons of seed oats from Great Britain to meet the needs of growers requiring a change of seed. Having regard to the present position in relation to the marketing of home-grown oats of the 1952 crop I do not propose to permit imports in excess of this quantity.