asked the Minister for Agriculture whether malting or feeding barley was imported to this country at any time since September, 1948; and, if so, whether he will indicate the quantity and value of such imports and also the quantity of barley which was imported since 1st January, 1949; further, whether he can state if it will be necessary for maltsters to import malting barley after 1st January next and before the 1950 harvest.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Imports of Barley.
Imports of malting barley in the period from 1st October, 1948, to 30th September, 1949, amounted to 30,417 tons value £951,978, including 11,080 tons value £332,660 imported since the 1st January, 1949. All except 1,837 tons of this quantity was provided by the British authorities for the production of beer for export to Britain.
As the total quantity of barley required by industrial users in the current cereal year can be supplied from the native crop, it is not proposed to permit the importation of barley other than seed barely of the short-strawed varieties before the 1950 harvest.