asked the Minister for Agriculture if he is aware that owing to the very low prices paid to Irish producers of tomatoes there is grave danger that this important industry may be completely wiped out and if he will state what steps he proposes to take to safeguard the industry.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Low Price of Irish Tomatoes.
I do not agree with the view expressed in the first part of the Deputy's question. As regards the second part of the question, tomatoes imported under licence bear a customs duty of 2d. per lb., and I have no reason to believe that Dutch producers are or should be more efficient than our producers.
I should like to put two supplementary questions to the Minister (1) does the Minister accept the principle that it is his duty as Minister to see that the Irish producer gets a fair price for his products, and (2) is the Minister satisfied that the present price of tomatoes is fair to the Irish producer?
My principle duty is to see that every section of the people of this country, in so far as my functions extend to them, are equitably dealt with. I can see no justification for withholding from the poorer sections of our community access to desirable and nutritious fruit, of which the prohibition of imports would deprive them.
Does the Minister not think that excessive imports during the peak period of production season might have the effect of killing this Irish industry, and that that effect might not be beneficial to the Irish consumer in the long run?
Quite seriously, the only consequence I can see of imports that can be truly described as excess is that the fruit would rot on the hands of the merchants who import it. So far as the fact that the fruit is being consumed by people who could not afford to consume it if it were not coming in is concerned, I cannot regard supplies as being excessive.
Is the Minister aware that Dutch and Irish tomatoes are rotting at the present time on the hands of the wholesalers?
I am not so aware, but I have no doubt that the distributors, if they find that the imports of Dutch fruit result in stocks rotting on their hands, will rapidly discontinue the importation of Dutch fruit.
Does the Minister consider that 5d. per lb. for Irish tomatoes is a price that is going to maintain the industry? Does he not accept the view that such a price would strangle the industry?
I am not prepared at this stage to express an opinion of what the costings of production of tomatoes for this season of the year may be, nor of the repercussions of the incidence of costings in this particular year, in view of the fact, as the Deputy is no doubt aware, that very large quantities of tomatoes this year from a domestic source have come on the market all at the same time from unheated houses. What the costings would be if the produce of the Irish tomato houses was spread over the year from March into the late autumn by the prudent use of heat is a question so complex that I cannot undertake to deal with it by way of supplementary question and answer.