asked the Minister for Agriculture whether he is aware that wheat is now the lowest priced grain crop grown by Irish farmers at £25 per ton as compared with £27 15s. 0d. for malting barley and £28 to £30 for oats, and whether, in view of the fact that the price of imported wheat is now far in excess of the price paid to our own producers and the necessity in view of world conditions of increasing the acreage of home-grown wheat, he will consider increasing the price for home-produced wheat.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Price of Wheat.
The present price of 62/6 per barrel is the highest yet guaranteed for wheat by an Irish Government and I consider that it provides ample encouragement for any farmer with land suitable for the growing of the crop.
As far as imported wheat is concerned, I would point out that when allowance has been made for drying and screening losses, the cost of native wheat is at least equal to the cost of first-quality Manitoba wheat and is appreciably more than the cost of imported wheat of comparable quality. Under the International Wheat Agreement, we are assured of a substantial proportion of our wheat requirements for the next few years at prices no higher than those obtaining at present.