asked the Minister for Agriculture whether it is the Government's intention and desire that retail distributors of artificial manures ought in so far as possible distribute them amongst their retail customers on the basis of last year's supply.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Distribution of Artificial Manures.
Retail distributors of fertilisers have been advised by the manufacturers that available supplies of superphosphate and of compound manures should, as far as possible, be reserved for tillage crops. State intervention as between the retail distributor and his farmer customer is not regarded as practicable. It is, however, the desire of the Government that retail distributors of fertilisers should, as far as possible, distribute the available quantities among their customers proportionately to the requirements of each for tillage crops, and in this connection should have regard to the quantity supplied to each of their customers last season.
Is the Minister aware that, in several areas in County Monaghan, farmers who are comparatively rich men bought up all the super available for cash, and that, when the small farmers came to get their usual supplies, they found that the entire supply of manure allocated to the district had already been collared and taken away by men of substance, leaving none for those not so fortunately circumstanced?
Is the Minister satisfied that the manure is being distributed in the way that he has described? I say it is not. I think it is being distributed in the wrong way.
Is there any definite information as to the quantity of super that will be available?
Generally, the retailers, as far as I can find out, have distributed these manures in a reasonably fair way. Complaints have been made. Some of them have been investigated. If it is found that retailers are not distributing manures according to their usual practice—giving them in the same proportion that they sold them last year and on the same terms roughly— then I intend to have these cases brought to the attention of the manure distributors. I do not know if the manure distributors can take any action against these retailers this year, but I hope they will be able to take appropriate action against them next year if they are not acting fairly towards their customers. With regard to Deputy Hughes's question, 50 per cent. has been distributed. There will be more, but I am not in a position to say what it will be.
Would the Minister explain how retailers can distribute and sell manures on the same terms as they did last year when the manufacturers are insisting on entirely different terms?
I do not think that is so.
The retailers last year got credit from the manufacturers for three periods—up to June, August and September. Now the retailer must pay cash within ten days. How, therefore, can any retailer hand out manures on the same terms this year as he did last year? Last year he had credit himself from the manufacturers, but now he must pay cash himself within ten days. In these circumstances how can he make money out of the business?
I am not so sure that the Deputy is right in that.