Applied as the Deputy said this would be ludicrous, but do not forget we have experience in the reverse direction because we have exported seed potatoes over the years, this year included. Through seed exports over the years, including this year, representatives of the State to which they are being consigned visit our ports of export before the consignment leaves and they reject or accept them before they leave the port. There are regulations in force which we know a lot about because we are affected by them. We can have potatoes inspected two or three times during their growing period. We can also have them inspected in the stores of the farmers or merchants and, if they are given the OK, they go to the port where they are to be loaded and shipped. There will be a representative inspector from the country to which they are being consigned who can reject the potatoes. We could also do this and at least it would have a slowing down effect.
If you produce a main crop of potatoes and allow them to grow to their full size, you will have a much bigger yield and the cost per tonne to the grower is very much less, if you are aided by the Government to preserve them in their newly dug state until the market begins to rise when our own potatoes are coming to an end. If they compete with our own new potatoes, clearly the new potato crop has not got a hope because the other potatoes are more mature, more uniform in size than our own potatoes and have a better appearance. The housewife goes into the supermarket or greengrocer and, although the quality may not be what she is used to, it is better than the early ones. The price does not matter at that stage. We are doing nothing about this and perhaps the Minister could assure us that there will be assistance to our growers and packers to do the same as they are doing in other countries which is wrecking our markets with financial assistance from their Governments and subsidised energy to store their potatoes in a way that turns them out six months later the same as they went in. If we had that system we could compete equally but at present there is not a hope of doing this.