asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries the likely future position of oats in the EEC grain scheme.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - EEC Grain Scheme.
68.
The prospects for quality oat production here are excellent. In recent years we have not been able to meet the demand for oatmeal milling and for feeding to bloodstock from native production. There is no intervention system for oats but the EEC levy system ensures that the price of oats imported from third countries is in line with the prices of other imported grains.
Have the Minister and the Department any positive measures before them for consideration as to how we might increase the acreage of oats for the coming years, which is something we would all desire?
It is a question of what will give the farmers the greatest profit. The soil conditions of their farms and things like that influence their decision in this regard. If they make more profit by growing barley, good luck to them.
Is it not fair to say that a lot of our land is suitable for growing oats which is not suitable for growing wheat or barley?
That may be so. Those farmers know that better than I do. They know their own land and make their own decisions about what they will grow.
The Minister said we have not enough oats for the bloodstock industry. Is he not aware that the bloodstock industry prefer to import Canadian oats?
That is so, especially if they cannot get a good quality.
Or even if they could get a good quality.