Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 2 Dec 1953

Vol. 143 No. 8

Private Members' Business. - Adjournment Debate—Facilities for Wheat Growers.

Mr. Rooney

At Question Time to-day I asked the Minister if he would state the number of tons of milling wheat delivered by growers and agents up to the latest available date and the total amount paid therefor; also if he would state the average moisture content of the wheat and indicate the steps being taken by his Department to ensure that prompt delivery of all wheat will be taken by the millers in 1954 in view of the losses suffered this year due to the lack of handling and storage facilities. The Minister replied to me as follows:—

"Approximately 300,000 tons of wheat of the 1953 harvest were deliveredto flour millers up to the 21st November. Information is not yet available in regard to the total amount paid or the average moisture content of the wheat.

The question of the provision of additional drying and storage facilities for the handling of next year's grain crops is receiving my earnest attention and I expect that there will be a considerable improvement in the position before next harvest. Nevertheless, despite the best endeavours of all concerned, it will be necessary for the growers to cooperate by delivering their grain in good condition and by spreading their deliveries over as long a period as possible."

The only useful information that I was given in that reply to my question was the approximate quantity of wheat of the 1953 harvest delivered to flour millers up to the 21st November. When we take those figures, we can also take it that nearly all the wheat of this year's crop has been delivered apart from that which still remains in the stacks to be threshed.

I raised this question on the Adjournment because it is clear that the present Minister for Agriculture has not made a decent attempt to provide the necessary facilities for wheat growers.

Mr. Briscoe

Is Deputy Rooney now in favour of wheat growing?

Mr. Rooney

I do not want any interruptions from Deputy Briscoe, who knows nothing about wheat growing. If it were the importation of coal, or Clonmel meats, or something of that sort, we could hear from the Deputy.

Mr. Briscoe

Or the purchase of farms.

Mr. Rooney

If I might be permitted to proceed without interruption from Deputy Briscoe—because I hope the Minister for Agriculture can answer for himself—I should like to make a few points in relation to the Minister's policy and his activities since he took office.

In the first place the Minister has tried to claim that the policy inrelation to the growing of wheat in this country is purely and simply the policy of Fianna Fáil. I should like to point out that when the inter-Party Government took Office wheat was 55/-a barrel. Immediate steps were taken to encourage the growing of wheat by increasing the guaranteed price.

Minister for Agriculture (Mr. Walsh)

On a point of order, I wonder if Deputy Rooney would confine himself to the truth?

An Leas-Cheann Comhairle

Deputy Rooney must confine himself to the question which is before the House.

Mr. Walsh

That is true.

Mr. Rooney

When Deputy Dillon took Office as Minister for Agriculture we found that although the Fianna Fáil. Government had succeeded in forcing growers to plough up 600,000 acres of land——

Mr. Briscoe

The man who would not be found dead in a field of wheat or beet.

Mr. Rooney

That is enough. Although the Fianna Fáil Government had succeeded in forcing growers to plough up 600,000 acres of land, no attempt was made to provide storage accommodation for the crop from that acreage of land. Of course, the available storage space was, to a certain extent, fit to meet the requirements because the use of combined harvesters was not in vogue and the probability of wheat deliveries in a shorter period did not arise. In any case, the average yield per acre from that large acreage was very low. It was something in the neighbourhood of five or six barrels per acre compared with the yield which the land gave in the years when Deputy Dillon was in charge of the Department of Agriculture.

An Leas-Cheann Comhairle

The question relates to the present year.

Mr. Walsh

Could the Deputy give us the figures?

An Leas-Cheann Comhairle

The Deputy must relate his remarks to the points contained in the question.

Mr. Rooney

What I have to say in relation to the policy advocated by the Minister's predecessor has a bearing on the storage facilities made available under his policy and pursued by the present Minister. We remember that the Minister came in here blowing a trumpet and announced that it was intended to provide up to £2,000,000 for the purpose of providing storage space. We found a situation in which there was a serious lack of storage space and the policy of providing it was to be continued by this Government. It was continued to a very limited extent, but, on the other hand, a very vigorous campaign was carried on by the Minister and his colleagues to have wheat grown in this country. The result of that campaign was that an extra 90,000 acres of wheat were grown, although there was a fall of a similar acreage of oats and barley in consequence of the policy of the Government in relation to these crops.

When he did bring about that change, the Minister should have made an effort to provide proper storage accommodation and drying facilities. If he knew what was happening on the farms, he would have known that the use of combined harvesters was going to become general, and, in the recent harvest, which was unfavourable from the point of view of the weather, a large proportion of it was dealt with by these combined harvesters. When the growers had the wheat in the sacks, there was no accommodation available for a large quantity of it, with the result that the wheat was left steaming in the sacks. Many of the growers suffered losses and the wheat was not fit to send to the mills when the time came for the mills to accept it. They had to operate a system of rotation, giving every man his turn in the delivery of wheat. They were not able to take the wheat when offered to them and had to ask the men to leave their wheat in the sacks overnight while the rain poured down on them in the fields or on the trucks queued up outside these mills and millers' stores.

I point this out because no positive effort is being made by the Minister to ensure that the growers of wheat who suffered losses this year in many ways,in consequence of the lack of drying facilities and storage space, will not be faced with a similar loss next year. Most of the land which produced wheat this year was drained under the Dillon scheme, and, in consequence of the large acreage which came into tillage by reason of that drainage, a good crop of wheat was put in and will be put in again next year. It is obvious to me and possibly to most Deputies, with the exception of Deputy Briscoe that there will be a larger acreage of wheat next year.

Mr. Briscoe

We hope so.

Mr. Rooney

The Deputy need not hope—he can be sure of it; and it is going to be grown on this land which was reclaimed under the Dillon scheme. There is no use in the Minister coming in here and saying he expects there will be a considerable improvement in the position before next harvest. It is necessary for the Minister to take action at this stage.

Mr. Walsh

The Minister has already taken action.

Mr. Rooney

If he has, he should have given the information when answering this question to-day. I raised this question on the Adjournment because many of the growers were disgusted when they found this year that, having produced the wheat, they had to allow it to go to loss. In many cases, they had to feed it to pigs because it had reached the fermenting stage by reason of being left steaming in the sacks, instead of the millers being able to dry it.

Mr. Walsh

Was the Deputy aware of these losses?

Mr. Rooney

Of course, I was.

Mr. Walsh

Why did you not report them, or raise the matter in the House? It is a bit late now, two months after the harvest, to be reporting these losses.

Mr. Deering

The House was not sitting.

Mr. Rooney

I am blaming theMinister because he should have known there was going to be an increased acreage of wheat last year and should have followed the policy of the previous Minister of increasing storage space. Even in the Carlow area, he can point to a place where the storage space was increased by his predecessor. It is a fact—it was published in the papers to-day—that certain growers were obliged to accept prices as low as 45/- per barrel for wheat this year, although the guaranteed price was £4 and even up to £4 2s. 6d. These men have suffered considerable losses. I also want to bring to the notice of the Minister the need for taking positive steps in relation to the prices being paid by the millers.

An Leas-Cheann Comhairle

There is nothing in the question about the prices being paid by the millers.

Mr. Rooney

I think there is. The question asks if the Minister will indicate the average moisture content of the wheat and what steps are being taken to ensure that prompt delivery of all wheat will be taken by the millers. Do not forget that the sugar coating on the pill the Minister asks the growers to swallow is that the price of wheat will depend on the percentage moisture content. He says that at a time when he knows that the drying facilities available are entirely inadequate, especially since a large number of farmers are using these combines and have no drying facilities themselves and must depend on these agents and millers to take the wheat from them to dry it and put it into millable condition. When some farmers sent in wheat of 23 per cent. or over, they were obliged to accept a cut in the price.

Mr. Walsh

Twenty-three per cent.?

Mr. Rooney

Over 23 per cent. They were obliged to take a cut, but in other cases farmers whose wheat had a similar percentage were not cut.

Mr. Walsh

Are you quarrelling about that?

Mr. Rooney

I am quarrelling about that. I do not see why one farmersending in a quantity of wheat with a certain moisture content should receive the full price, while another farmer sending his wheat to another mill with the same moisture content should be cut. Many of the farmers were cut down to £3 per barrel. In a particular case referred to in to-day's Independentit was down to 45/- per barrel. There is no use in the Minister saying that he expects drying and storage facilities will be improved during the coming year.

It will be necessary for the Minister to ensure now that the money which he has made available for the construction of storage space should be availed of immediately. If the millers will not avail of the finance provided for the construction of storage space and handling facilities, then he must take action himself. He must find out from the millers now whether by reason of their reluctance to have this storage space provided they are going to inflict losses on the growers next year as they did this year or whether he is going to take steps himself to ensure that the growers will not be in the hands of the millers who are not making an effort to provide proper handling facilities and storage space, including the drying plant necessary for wheat grown in this country.

We have seen from experience that the moisture content of wheat in this country is higher than it is in Canada and other countries. There are modern methods of dealing with wheat which has an undue moisture content, but the facilities are available here and are sufficient to deal with the situation. The millers got any advantage there was from the increased acreage of what this year. They were in a position to penalise the growers because of the moisture content of the wheat which arose in many cases because the wheat could not be delivered in time. As I said, they were obliged to remain overnight with the wheat loaded on their lorries in queues outside these stores where there were drying facilities. In the long run it was the growers who suffered these losses.

I should like to know from the Minister whether he will issue a definiteinstruction to the millers and agents regarding payment for this wheat. I should like to point out to the Minister that if millers can take in 50 barrels of wheat at 17 per cent. moisture and 50 barrels at 27 per cent. moisture, they can mix the 100 barrels and the average moisture content will then work out at something like 22 or 23 per cent. and they will qualify for the payment of the full guaranteed price, whereas the grower must suffer the penalty in respect of the wheat which has a 27 per cent. moisture content and cannot take advantage of the wheat with the lower moisture content.

These advantages are available to the millers. It is just like the tea blenders. The tea blenders can mix different brands of tea and charge a certain average price which will earn them a profit although the costs of certain brands of tea have been very low while other brands have been high, but the average works out in their favour. The average in the case of the millers is also working out in their favour when the percentage of moisture——

An Leas-Cheann Comhairle

The Minister is entitled to ten minutes.

Mr. Rooney

Very well, Sir. I just wanted——

Mr. Walsh

He does not want to give me the ten minutes.

Mr. Rooney

If the Minister gives me an undertaking that he will do something practicable and ensure that the farmers will not suffer again next year the losses they suffered this year owing to the lack of drying facilities and storage facilities I will be very happy to hear it.

Mr. Walsh

We all know that there had been considerable difficulty from time to time in the harvesting of wheat and other crops. The wheat was the principal factor but this year we have a new factor and that is the combine harvester. It was always difficult enough to have wheat in perfect condition when it went to the millers. Everybody realises that. There was no necessity in many cases for peopleusing combine harvesters to go out and harvest wheat at the time they went out. I should like to deal with that factor to-night and try and get Deputy Rooney and other Deputies like him to realise that the farmers must make provision to have their wheat in reasonably good condition going to the mills.

I think it has been the experience of farmers who use the combine harvester that there is as little difficulty in harvesting the wheat when it is properly dried and ripe as when the wheat is harvested with the reaper and binder. Early in the season I saw wheat bushelling at 64 with the combine harvester. I saw the same wheat after three days rain and two fine days bushelling 59. The reason, of course, was that the wheat carried moisture and was not fit to be harvested with the combine harvester. Are we or the millers to compensate farmers who are not prepared to have their wheat in perfect condition? If they suffer losses because it is not in perfect condition as a result of their inefficiency, then nobody will be responsible for that situation but themselves. It must be made quite clear that if we are going to have combine harvesters people must realise that they cannot go out to harvest in damp or moist weather.

Mr. Rooney

The Minister has a remedy.

Mr. Walsh

The Minister has no remedy for it. The remedy is the same as that which has operated in the case of binders over the years. No farmer who is concerned with his crop goes out to reap his corn if it is damp. We know the reason for all this at the present time. It is because a number of people have got combine harvesters. There is work waiting for them. Farmers may not have patience. It is quite understandable that with the corn ripe and proper for binding, as it must be if the best results are to be got from the combine harvester, and with bad weather coming along they are anxiously awaiting the combine harvester to harvest the corn. That has been responsible to a great extent for some of the difficulties.

The Deputy mentioned considerable losses. I was not made aware of any considerable losses. I was told of two cases only and those are the cases to which Deputy Rooney referred when he mentioned the price of 45/-. The price was 47/6. The wheat was unmillable when it reached the purchaser. It had to be used for animal feeding. If there were considerable losses, why was this House not made aware of that? Why was I not made aware of it? The Deputy had the opportunity of raising the matter. Nobody prevented him from doing so. Nobody prevented him from putting down a question in this House to ask how I was going to deal with the matter. Up to the 1st December there was no mention of considerable losses. I have definitely come to the conclusion that this is a continuation of the Fine Gael policy to sabotage the growing of wheat in this country.

Mr. Briscoe

That is what it is.

Mr. Walsh

The end of the session is now approaching and we are going to have a period of inactivity in the House. The Dillonites want to get out on to the platforms again and advise the farmers not to grow wheat because they will not have storage or drying facilities and that the wheat will rot in the fields and in the sacks. That is what Deputy Rooney was sent into the House to-night for. I hope he will go to the County Dublin and tell the farmers the real purpose behind this question to-day. When we get an opportunity we will tell the people down the country what the real purpose behind this question was. Do not let Deputy Rooney for a moment think he is going to get away with that. For 20 years you have been propagating a falsehood that wheat could not be grown in this country but we have nailed it to the mast and proved that it can be grown. Notwithstanding anything Deputy Rooney or anyone else in those benches may say, wheat is established in this country and it is going to be grown.

Deputy Rooney said that his Government made storage space available. There was no provision made for storage during the period of office ofthe Coalition Government—none whatever. We have made provision, and ample provision, for the people who are responsible for storage to erect such buildings. We made money available to them to the extent of £2,500,000 last year. We have 50,000 tons of storage space in the country and next year we are making provisions for sufficient storage and drying plants to enable the millers to deal with all the wheat that will be grown. That has been our policy: first to get it grown, then to harvest it and then to dry and store it here.

As I have pointed out, however, Deputy Rooney does not want that policy. He supported the depression of prices for wheat, the best indication of his sympathy for the people about whom he is speaking here to-night. That was your policy for three years and yet you have the audacity to come in here and talk with your tongue in your cheek that you have sympathy for the people who suffered considerable losses. Is it not a wonder you would not realise that the people in this country are not fools?

Mr. Rooney

We increased the price.

Donnchadh Ó Briain

That is not true. It was increased in October, 1947.

Mr. Walsh

You did not. The price of wheat was increased by Deputy Smith when he was Minister for Agriculture.

Mr. Rooney

Fifty-five shillings.

Donnchadh Ó Briain

That is not true.

Mr. Walsh

He increased the price in 1947. There was a continuous depression of agricultural prices during the period of the Coalition Government, and Deputy Rooney, the person who wants to shed crocodile tears, supported and subscribed to that policy.

Mr. Rooney

Like the barley prices.

Mr. Walsh

Yes, like the barley prices. You subscribed to the depression of prices, but you have the audacity to come in here to cry over these imaginary cases.

Mr. Deering

I do not think it is fair to say there was a depression of prices.

Mr. Walsh

The Deputy is new to this House. If he looks up the records he will find out. Milk was depressed, wheat was depressed, everything that was produced by the farmer, oats potatoes——

An Leas-Cheann Comhairle

We are discussing wheat storage.

Mr. Walsh

I can tell the Deputy we have taken over the responsibility of having our wheat produced in this country. We have succeeded in convincing our farmers that it is a good proposition for them and for the country, and the Deputy may feel quite satisfied that we are going to see that wheat will be dried and stored in perfect condition so that it will make bread for the people of this country to eat.

The Dáil adjourned at 11.25 p.m. until 2.30 p.m. on Thursday, 3rd December, 1953.