andMr. G. Fitzgerald asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries if there will be sufficient wheat harvested to meet requirements for the next 12 months.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Wheat Harvest.
148.
Mr. Meaney
It is estimated that the outturn of the 1972 wheat harvest will be sufficient to meet requirements of native wheat for flour production for 1972-73 at the normal rate of inclusion in the grist.
Is that normal rate 70 per cent or lower?
Mr. Gibbons
I think that is what it is.
It varies according to the quality of the wheat.
At present the flour millers are using 75 per cent.
149.
andMr. Meaney asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries the system which will operate in regard to payment for wheat for next season's crop; and whether a contract system will be introduced.
There will be no official control on the marketing of wheat of the 1973 crop. Intervention prices for the crop will be fixed by the Council of EEC in due course and trading in wheat will normally take place at prices above the intervention prices. The question of the introduction of a contract system is one for arrangement between the producers and the purchasers of wheat.
Could the Minister indicate whether he is certain that there will be sufficient purchasers with sufficient money to take up the crop at a figure above the intervention price? Would he agree that this is the crucial year for wheat growing and that people who want to have wheat in future years must pay for it this year and encourage farmers to grow it in competition with barley which, because of high yielding strains, has become, I think, extremely attractive. What is the Minister doing about that?
Doing about what?
Doing about the problem of whether or not those who are purchasers would be sufficiently financed to be able to enter the market and pay more than the intervention price and ensuring that the price paid will be attractive in relation to the price of barley to such an extent that wheat-growing will not decrease to an extraordinary degree because of the attraction of barley-growing with higher-yielding varieties.
I was not aware of what the Deputy has stated, that the wheat merchants are in any difficulty about financial accommodation or that any such embarrassment is anticipated in the future.
Does the Minister know the percentage of wheat that is bought by firm dealers, namely those who buy it and sell it, and the percentage that is bought by agents for flour millers? Does the Minister know if flour millers will be in the market next year? If they are not, how many millions of pounds will be required to buy the wheat?
Can the Deputy explain why there should be any radical departure from the old procedure apart from the fact that in the past there was a specified guaranteed price? In the future the arrangement will be between the grower and the mrchant for the growing and purchase of wheat.
Would the Minister not agree that by far the largest amount of money paid to farmers at harvest time comes from the flour millers? Will the Minister tell the House if the flour millers will be in the wheat market next year? If they are not in the wheat market how much money will be required and will the merchants have to borrow the money? If they have to borrow it, can the Minister be certain they will get it?
That is a series of separate questions. If the Deputy wants to have comprehensive information on those topics he should table the appropriate questions.
I suppose I would get an answer next year.
That depends on the Opposition.