asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries if he will state his attitude towards the downward trend in the area under potatoes.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Potato Acreage.
140.
The downward trend in the potato acreage is due to a variety of factors but more especially to the decline in the use of potatoes for animal feed.
As the Deputy is, no doubt, aware only a small proportion of total production is sold off farms. My Department is anxious to encourage commercial production and utilisation The expansion in recent years of the acreage grown at contract prices for processing is having a stabilising effect.