asked the Minister for Agriculture the value of nursery stock imports in 1984 and the estimated percentage of this which could be produced here.
Written Answers. - Nursery Stock Imports.
707.
Imports of nursery stock in 1984 were as follows: Bulbs, tubers, tuberous roots, corms, crowns and rhizomes, dormant, in growth or in flower, £784,129; other live plants, including trees, shrubs, bushes, roots, cuttings and slips, £3,422,745.
It would be possible to grow most of this nursery stock in this country but because of the range of plant species involved and the limited size of the domestic market it is unlikely that it would be economic to produce here more than about 50 per cent of the total.
ACOT has specialist advisers for the nursery stock sector and An Foras Talúntais, in addition to its research work in this area, has recently launched an information co-ordinating service on production and supplies of nursery plants.