asked the Minister for Agriculture whether he is aware that farmers have suffered grave inconvenience and loss as a consequence of the action of the Government in prohibiting the importation of seed wheat for spring sowing, that they are compelled to accept from the millers, at an exorbitant price, inferior quality seed wheat which contains many impurities, and if he will have inquiries made in the matter with a view to allowing seed wheat to be imported.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Seed Wheat.
Dr. Ryan
No undue restriction has been imposed by me on the importation of seed wheat. On the contrary, importation permits have been freely issued to importers who took the necessary steps to secure that the seed to be imported was of a type suitable for sowing in this country, that it was true to name, and was imported sufficiently early, in the case of each variety, to enable it to be distributed and sown with a reasonable prospect of a satisfactory crop. I am not aware of any seed wheat of the nature suggested in the question having been sold by millers.
Is it not possible that the importation of Red Marvel seed wheat has been curtailed by order of the Minister since the 28th February?
Dr. Ryan
Possibly that is so, but there is more Red Marvel seed in the country than has been sown.
I have seen seed wheat sent out by the millers in this country, and neither in name nor nature was it seed. It is unfair to the farmers of this country to ask them to sow what neither in name nor nature is seed.
Dr. Ryan
The seed referred to has been certified by officers of the Department to be true in name and nature as grown in this country. The Deputy evidently has not the same faith in Irish-grown seed that he has in foreign-grown seed.
I have, and there was no need for the Minister to say that. I have seen some of this seed wheat that has been sent out by the millers. I saw some of it on the headlands ready to be sown. If I were expected to sow it as seed wheat I would not do so. I would send it back to the millers, because in my opinion it was not seed wheat at all.
Dr. Ryan
It takes a very good judge to know varieties of seed from looking at it in that way.
asked the Minister for Agriculture whether he is aware that many farmers who purchased seed wheat for winter sowing at from £2 to £2 5s. per barrel and over were unable owing to whether conditions to get the crop sown and have had to resell the seed wheat to the millers at 28/6 per barrel, thereby incurring a loss of from 12/- to 17/- per barrel; that merchants who purchased similar wheat for resale to farmers have lost heavily, and if the Minister will look into the matter with a view to compensating those concerned.
Dr. Ryan
I do not consider it would be practicable or desirable to arrange to pay compensation to growers or merchants for losses arising from adverse weather conditions which might have been incurred in connection with the purchase of seed wheat.
Is the Minister aware that a large quantity of the seed wheat that we had in the country for winter sowing had, owing to the inclemency of the weather, to be sent back to the millers and sold to them at 28/- a barrel? A lot of the wheat that was bought for winter sowing had to be sent back to the millers, and as they only paid 28/- a barrel for it, the losses sustained by the farmers obliged to sell it were very heavy.