asked the Minister for Agriculture if he is aware that the total estimated requirements of sugar for domestic consumption are 120,000 tons per annum or the product of 60,000 acres of sugar beet; that the total acreage of beet grown and delivered to the sugar factories last year was 88,000 giving approximately 176,000 tons of sugar or 56,000 tons over domestic requirements; and that the cost of this refined sugar ex-factory was approximately £58 per ton; and if he can now state the reasons for the importation from January to July this year of 37,989 tons of unrefined sugar costing £2,626,710 or approximately £69 per ton and 1,573 tons of refined sugar costing £115,706 or £73.11 per ton, as the cost of imported refined sugar is £15.11 per ton over the cost of refined sugar from Irish factories and as this transaction alone represents an extra expenditure of £400,000 over the cost of the same quantity produced at home.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Imports of Sugar.
The total annual requirements of sugar for domestic consumption and for the export trade in sugar and sugar-containing goods are approximately 170,000 tons. This figure may, however, vary somewhat from year to year mainly because of fluctuations in the volume of exports.
Production of refined sugar from the 1963 beet area of 88,000 acres amounted to 131,000 tons and the imports of sugar referred to by the Deputy were necessary in order to meet the difference between this domestic production and total requirements.
With regard to prices, the world price of sugar was abnormally high during much of the past two years and this situation is reflected in the relatively high cost of sugar imported in the period January-July, 1964. On the other hand, sugar exported as such or in goods fetched a correspondingly high price.
The world price of sugar has now fallen to about one-third of what it was a year ago and sugar could now be imported here at significantly less than the cost of home-produced beet sugar.
Is the Minister aware that following the figure given to me here in 1963 there was a further import of 42,000 tons of sugar, that the total exports from this country, as given by him last week, were 51,000 tons, covering sugar and goods containing sugar, and that shows some 40,000 tons last year over what was exported and our domestic requirements? For the first six months of this year already, something like 40,000 tons have been imported. I wonder for what purpose the stock is being built up? Is it in prospect of a war?
I am aware the Deputy has a certain view about this situation and that he has made certain calculations of his own in regard to it. I am afraid mine do not correspond with his.
With your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I wish to raise this matter on the Adjournment.
I shall communicate with the Deputy in the course of this afternoon.