asked the Minister for Agriculture if he will state the estimated total yield of (a) ware and (b) certified seed potatoes of the 1949 crop and the estimated quantity of each which will be required for the home market.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Potato Crop.
Mr. Blaney
The estimated yield of ware and certified seed potatoes of the 1949 crop is 2,540,000 tons and 60,000 tons, respectively. It is not possible to give any reliable estimate of the quantities required for the home market in view of the various factors which must be taken into account, such as the extent to which ware potatoes are fed to live stock, or retained as seed for the 1950 crop, or are subject to losses in storage, etc.
Mr. Blaney
asked the Minister for Agriculture if he will state (a) what arrangements he has made for the marketing of the 1949 potato crop, (b) the countries with which he has negotiated for the export of potatoes, (c) the quantities of (i) seed and (ii) ware potatoes, set out for each of the different varieties which will be required by each country, and (d) the price per ton, under each head, which will be paid to the growers.
The export of potatoes of the 1949 crop, both seed and ware, is being undertaken by the Irish Potato Marketing Association, who are acting for the Irish Potato Marketing Company, which is about to be incorporated.
As negotiations for sale are at present in progress I am not in a position to give the information sought in the remaining parts of the question.
Mr. Blaney
Can the Minister say why export licences were refused last November to buyers who were prepared to give £12 3s. 4d. per ton for certain varieties of potatoes to Donegal potato growers? These people are now forced to sell these potatoes at £7 12s. 6d. per ton.
If the Deputy gives me information with regard to specific cases I shall give him the reasons.
Mr. Blaney
The export licences were refused to these buyers when they requested them from the Department and, at that time, in November they were prepared to pay £12 3s. 4d. per ton——
The Deputy is repeating his supplementary question.
Mr. Blaney
The Minister asked me to put it more plainly.
No. I asked for specific cases. If the Deputy can give me the names and addresses of the cases he has in mind. I will give him the reasons.
Mr. Blaney
As a matter of fact the people concerned would rather their names were not used as there might be repercussions.
We cannot investigate cases in a vacuum.