asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries if the acreage under (i) wheat (ii) oats and (iii) barley has increased in the last year.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Grain Acreage.
28.
The information available, based on seed sales, indicates that there has been a reduction in the acreage under wheat and oats of about 6 per cent and 18 per cent respectively. While there has been an increase in the area under malting barley, the total barley acreage has decreased by about 3 per cent, giving an overall reduction in the total cereals acreage of about 6 per cent.
Does this not again demonstrate lack of confidence in the farming community?
No. It indicates—and people who are farming would know the difference—an extremely wet winter and spring where farmers had very little opportunity to plough.
The spring was not wet.
There never was a wetter spring.
It was too dry. You are all wet.
Question No. 29.