asked the Minister for Agriculture if he will state (a) the number of tomato-houses in the Donegal unit of the Gaeltacht glasshouse scheme; (b) the average weight of tomatoes per house produced in 1948 and in 1949 in this area; and (c) the average cash return per house before and after deduction of agent's commission in 1948 and in 1949.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Gaeltacht Tomato-Growing Scheme.
The figure asked for in (a) of the Deputy's question is 100.
I presume the Deputy means by "average weight" in (b) of his question, "average weight per house". The average weight per house in 1948 (when there were only 80 houses in production) was 14 cwts.; the comparable figure for 1949 is estimated at 16½ cwts. for the 100 houses in production this season.
As regards (c) in the question, the bulk of the crop was not sold on commission in the 1948 and 1949 seasons, but was sold, in accordance with the terms of the sales contracts made by my Department on behalf of the growers, at a percentage reduction on Dublin market prices current at time of sale. Fifty-two tons out of 56 tons produced in 1948 and 65 tons out of 79 tons produced to date in 1949 were sold on this basis. After purchase the contractors were at liberty to wholesale the tomatoes at the best price they could obtain. Sales under the 1949 contract are still being made.
The remainder of the crop in each season (apart from a very small quantity sold for cash direct from the packing station at the opening of the season) was sold on commission.
The average cash return per house in 1948, before deduction of the amounts due to my Department under the agreements made with the growers, was £85 8s. 4d. As marketing in the 1949 season has not yet finished, a comparable figure is not available.