asked the Minister for Agriculture if he will give details of the basis on which bran is at present distributed by the milling industry, and if he will state whether he has received any further information since his reply to a question of the 15th February last which may give hope for an increase in the supply of bran in the near future.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Distribution of Bran.
In the present distribution period millers are allocating bran to their customers at the rate of approximately 15 per cent. of each customer's datum which has been determined on the basis of purchases of bran and pollard effected in the year ended 31st August, 1939.
I can give no hope of increased supplies of pollard in the near future. The whole offals supply position is difficult. In normal times scarcity of home supplies could have been made good by imports. I have, however, examined the import supply position and the prices quoted are practically prohibitive. Since I referred to this matter on 15th February, when I indicated that the price of imported bran and pollard would involve a retail price of about 22s. per cwt., an offer of pollard has been received at a price of approximately £27 12s. 0d. per ton c.i.f. Dublin. In all the circumstances I feel that for the present at any rate the best course of action is to utilise such pollard as we produce to facilitate the maximum production of balanced rations at competitive prices. Steps have been taken materially to increase the percentage of bran produced and to reserve it for retail distribution.
The quantity of bran available in the present quota period is approximately 2,000 tons as compared with approximately 1,000 tons in the period ended 25th February, 1950, and an average of 1,400 tons for the three previous periods.
The output of pollard in the present period provides for a total quantity of balanced rations which exceeds by almost 100 per cent. supplies available in 1949, and were it not for the scarcity of high protein supplements the increase would probably have been much more considerable. One factory for the production of meat and bone meal is actually building and another is being planned, while at the same time every opportunity of securing supplies of white fish meal is being pursued and where possible availed of.