asked the Minister for Agriculture whether large quantities of apples are reaching the Dublin market from the Six Counties, and, if so, whether he will take steps to prohibit their import.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Protection of Home-Grown Fruit.
asked the Minister for Agriculture if he will state what scheme he has in mind for the protection of the home market for home-grown fruit, with a view to ensuring that an economic market will be provided for fruit growers.
With your permission, a Chinn Chomhairle, I propose to reply to Questions Nos. 16 and 17 together.
Relatively small quantities of apples have been imported this year from the Six Counties, but not to such an extent as would interfere unduly with the disposal of good quality home-produced apples, properly marketed.
For some time past I have been giving attention to this matter, and have reached the conclusion that the quality and marketing of our fruit need to be up-graded.
As I announced in my address to the Waterford Committee of Agriculture at Dungarvan on the 18th instant, I am considering the details of a plan for enlarging the quantity and improving the quality of our dessert apples, and for the establishment of a central packing and storing station to aid in the more efficient marketing of the crop. I intend to make arrangements whereby growers will be given the best advice on varieties to be grown and their cultivation, and on the improvement of existing orchards, including spraying by the most efficient methods. My plans envisage the marketing of the fruit in an orderly manner, and the supplying of necessary requisites to growers on a co-operative basis.
I do not propose to interfere with existing commercial outlets for our fruit, but I hope so to raise the level of production and marketing as to give every enterprising fruit grower the opportunity of improving his produce and disposing of it profitably, whereafter I do not anticipate that our growers will have anything to fear from the competition of apples imported from Great Britain under the agreement negotiated by my predecessor in 1938.