asked the Minister for Agriculture if he will state the average cost of (a) dried native wheat and (b) imported wheat delivered to mills in 1950.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Cost of Wheat.
As regards (a), the information required by the Deputy is not yet available. The Wheat Order, 1950, provides that a licensed wheat dealer may sell, at 72/6 per barrel, artificially dried wheat, the moisture content of which does not exceed 15 per cent.
Assuming the average moisture content of millable native wheat delivered to mill to be 22 per cent, the cost of this wheat at the average moisure of imported wheat, i.e., 13 per cent., would be approximately £29 12s. 0d. per ton, or 74/- per barrel.
As regards (b), the average c.i.f. cost per barrel of wheat imported in the period from January to October, 1950, was 69/8, this includes a substantial proportion of Manitoba wheats, the average cost of which exceeds that of all varieties of soft wheats.
Is the Minister in a position to state the cost of imported wheat delivered to the mills?
Yes, if, without any discourtesy to the Deputy, the Deputy would ask me for it.
That is what I did ask for.
I am at fault. The question was interpreted as relating to the price for c.i.f. wheat. I shall lose no time in having the information furnished.