asked the Minister for Agriculture if he is aware of the uneconomic price being paid for potatoes in County Donegal; and if in view of the importance of this agricultural product in County Donegal he is prepared to pay a subsidy for all potatoes sold at such low prices.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Sale of Potatoes.
34.
I am not prepared to introduce a subsidy as proposed.
In view of the fact that a subsidy has been paid in respect of wheat and barley to farmers in the south of Ireland, would the Minister not consider extending the scheme to farmers in Donegal who have had a very bad year from the point of view of the potato crop?
This is not an unusual occurrence. In some years the potato crop is profitable; in some years it is not. The Deputy should realise that of the 200,000 odd acres of potatoes grown in this country which yield roughly about 2,000,000 tons, 75 per cent is consumed on the farms on which they are grown.
Seed potatoes?
I am talking about the potato crop as a whole.
And I am talking of seed potatoes.
You have not specified seed potatoes.
Is a seed potato a potato or is it not?
The Deputy is running to seed.
The Minister might take care of his own Department.
Is the Minister aware that the Curroy factory is closed and will he provide a transport subsidy from counties where there is a great surplus of potatoes such as Louth and Monaghan — now Donegal has been added by Deputy Harte—so that it would be possible to dispose of potatoes which will never be sold and for which the farmers will receive no money unless the Minister does something?
Curroy factory is closed because it could not obtain any further supplies of potatoes. If it can be demonstrated to me that supplies will be available of course, as the only factory that is closed, I shall endeavour to have it open for the purpose of taking surplus potatoes.
Would the Minister be prepared to provide a transport subsidy where potatoes are so far from the factory——
I would not.
That seems to be a separate question.
I would ask the Minister to reconsider this in relation to transport from Donegal and remove the customs charge.
35.
asked the Minister for Agriculture if he is aware that small farmers still have large stocks of unsaleable potatoes; and what action he proposes to take in the matter.
This matter is the subject of current consultations between representatives of growers and my Department.