asked the Minister for Agriculture if he will guarantee a minimum price of £2 per barrel for feeding barley to enable farmers to economically produce on their farms this very necessary feeding stuff.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Feeding Barley: Guaranteed Minimum Price.
25.
I am satisfied that the basic price of 38s. per barrel announced on 13th February, 1962, enables feeding barley to be produced economically. This is confirmed by the steady increase in the area sown to feeding barley in recent years. Any increase in the price for feeding barley would, of course, seriously affect the pig industry, for which it is an essential raw material.
Would the Minister not agree that the overhead charges of farmers have gone up considerably in the past couple of years? Would he further agree that barley should, in the main, shortly after the season commences, be making £2 a barrel, whereas the floor price operates against the small farmer who is unable to hold his crop until the market reaches that sum? For that reason would the Minister consider that it would be economic to fix a floor price of £2 a barrel?
When I am invited to agree at Parliamentary Question Time to too many things at the one time, I find it awkward to say I will.
Will the Minister take the first one? I am asking the Minister to agree that the overhead charges of farmers have gone up considerably.
In relation to the growing of barley, I doubt it.
Will the Minister agree that the price of rates, labour and machinery has gone up?
The Minister will agree that there is no better proof than that while the price may not be very generous, it is sufficiently attractive to induce those with barley-growing land to grow it to an increasing extent as they are doing.
Due to the change of policy with regard to wheat.
The point is it has happened, even if the Deputy does not like to admit it.