asked the Minister for Agriculture if he will make a statement on the price of feeding stuffs for live stock, having particular regard to the price of maize and barley.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Live-stock Feeding Stuffs: Prices.
Present prices of feeding stuffs are in general substantially lower than those prevailing a year ago. It is my policy to exert every effort to bring about a reduction to whatever extent may be practicable from time to time in the prices of feeding stuffs so as to enable the producers of live stock and live stock products to get supplies of feeding stuffs at prices which will enable them to compete on the world market with similar producers in other countries. Live stock producers can help themselves in this matter by growing their own requirements of feeding stuffs or by arranging to have them grown for them.
In the case of maize and barley, the position is that, having regard to the prices paid for present stocks and forward purchases, no immediate reduction in the price of these commodities as sold by Messrs. Grain Importers can at present be made.
I wonder would the Parliamentary Secretary consider advising the Department to cease acting as a kind of fairy godmother to the barley growers in this country? That has a definite adverse effect generally and particularly on the people we were speaking about a minute ago, pig producers. As the Parliamentary Secretary is aware, due to the fact that barley is now a State-sheltered crop, it is much dearer than it would be if that position did not exist.
The Deputy is making a speech, not asking a question.
It is a question, Sir.