asked the Minister for Agriculture if he will give details of Government grants available to potato growers and to growers' co-operatives for the construction of potato stores referred to by him in a recent press report.
Written Answers. - Potato Store Construction Grants.
636.
Aid for the construction of potato stores appropriate to the production of potatoes on the applicant's farm is available under the farm modernisation scheme. Farmers in the "development" category are eligible for grant aid of 25 per cent (35 per cent in the disadvantaged areas). Farmers in the "commercial" category are eligible for an interest subsidy equivalent to a capital grant of 15 per cent payable over seven years. The "other" category (formerly "other high") is eligible for grant aid of 25 per cent.
In the case of storage, grading, packing and handling facilities, EC aid of 25 per cent and national aid of 8 per cent (50 per cent and 16 per cent respectively in disadvantaged areas) is available to growers and growers' co-operatives for selected projects aimed at improving processing and marketing facilities.