asked the Minister for Agriculture in respect of wheat delivered to mills in 1960 to date (a) the approximate total tonnage of home grown wheat from the 1960 harvest, (b) the estimated tonnage of millable wheat, and (c) the total amount of cash levy deducted; whether a minimum of 300,000 tons of millable wheat is expected to be delivered having regard to average delivered at this date in previous years; and whether the full amount of levies deducted will be refunded if this minimum tonnage from the 1960 harvest is not reached.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Wheat Deliveries to Mills.
24.
The total quantity of home grown wheat of the 1960 crop received at the mills up to 12th November, 1960 was approximately 360,000 tons which represents about 320,000 tons of dried wheat. All this wheat has been purchased as millable wheat, but having regard to its quality it appears that it would not produce a satisfactory flour if used to a large extent in the millers' grist. Arrangements are being made to have further tests carried out in order to ascertain the maximum extent to which the wheat may be used in the girst.
The total amount deducted from growers in respect of levy on wheat delivered to the mills so far is approximately £648,000. As wheat is being purchased at the prices payable for millable wheat the question of refunding the levy does not arise.
Can the Minister say what is the estimated tonnage of millable wheat from this year's harvest?
I think the Minister could hardly be precise on that point because the millers say they can handle only a fairly low percentage. The Minister is not satisfied with that and he is trying to arrange for some type of arbitration on the matter.
What percentage did they say?
May I ask the Minister what it is proposed to do with the unmillable wheat?
That is a separate question.
It may be sold for feeding stuffs.
May I ask the Minister do the millers propose to segregate the wheat that is unmillable from the wheat that is millable, or are the millers availing of this occasion to elicit from the Government an arrangement whereunder they will be required to include a lower percentage of Irish-grown wheat in the total grist?
The millers, I understand, are segregating the wheat into what they accept as millable and what they regard as doubtful for examination by the Minister's office.
Will the House be told in due course what quantity of wheat has been deemed to be millable and what quantity the Minister has agreed to regard as unfit for milling into flour?
The House will be told that.
Will there be a segregation of that character or will the situation be that the whole thing will be bulked—that the millers will agree to, say, 40 per cent?
No.
Have any representatives of the Department of Agriculture visited the mills and inspected the wheat and do they know how much is millable and how much is not?
I think it may be taken that representatives of the Department have examined the grain of the wheat but the official examination of the wheat, with a view to setting up arbitration proceedings, has not yet taken place.