asked the Minister for Agriculture if he is aware that as a result of the strike in the malthouses, farmers' barley and wheat in soft condition now lying in sacks are in danger of serious deterioration, and, if so, if any steps have been or will be taken by his Department to assist farmers to dispose of this grain and thus save them from a total loss.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Strike Effect on Wheat and Barley.
I am aware that owing to the exceptionally wet season many growers have harvested their barley and wheat in a moist condition and that in the case of barley some difficulty has been experienced by growers in disposing of their crops. To deal with this situation the maize millers have been asked, through their associations, to purchase immediately, to the fullest extent possible, their requirements of home-grown grain. I am not aware that growers have experienced any difficulty in disposing of wheat of millable quality. The wheat millers have, in fact, already purchased a greater proportion of the national percentage of home-grown wheat than was purchased at the corresponding period of any previous year.
Arising out of the Minister's reply, I would like to ask the Minister if he does not realise that in districts where the malt houses have got wheat and barley 80 per cent. of what has been threshed is in a very wet and bad condition, and that if it is not taken up immediately it is going to be lost, or practically lost? Some really serious effort ought to be made to deal with it.
We have made every attempt, and I think it has been taken up fairly successfully, perhaps not as satisfactorily as everybody would wish.