asked the Minister for Agriculture if, in view of the urgent need for the largest possible acreage of autumn-sown wheat, the Government will immediately announce an increase in its price for the coming year, and, also, a special inducement to growers who get the crop sown during the next two months.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Price of Wheat.
I have to refer the Deputy to the announcement which appeared in the Press on 28th September of the Government's decision to fix the price of wheat of the 1941 crop at 37/6 per barrel as compared with 35/- per barrel for wheat of the 1940 crop. Farmers are generally aware of the fact that winter wheat sown during the next few months will give better results than if sown at a later date, and my Department, both directly and through agricultural instructors, proposes to give all possible encouragement in this direction.
Does the Minister not realise that an increase of 2/6 is not sufficient to induce an increase in the acreage? Would the Minister not consider some special inducement to encourage the sowing of a greater area of winter wheat during the next two months? Such an inducement might be in the form of a free insurance against partial failure. I think it would be desirable in view of the fact that seed wheat cannot be guaranteed to be quite as good as in other years.
I think the seed wheat is probably better this year than it has been for many years, and I think the price offered should be sufficient inducement to farmers to sow wheat.