asked the Taoiseach if he will state (a) the amount of superphosphates imported from the 1st May, 1951, to the 1st May, 1952; (b) the amount of imported fertilisers in the country on 1st May, 1952; (c) the amount of home-manufactured fertilisers in the country on the 1st May, 1952, and (d) the amount of fertilisers purchased by the farmers for each of the two years ended 1st May, 1952.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Fertilisers.
(a) The imports of superphosphates in the year 1st May, 1951-30th April, 1952, amounted to 50,865 tons. (b) and (c) Particulars of the total stocks of fertilisers in the country at the date in question are not available. (d) Information as to the amount of fertilisers purchased by farmers in the years ended 1st May, 1951 and 1952 are not available but, with the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, I propose to circulate in the Official Report a statement of the estimated quantity and retail value of artificial fertilisers purchased by farmers in the calendar years 1950 and 1951.
Following is the statement:—
ESTIMATED QUANTITY AND RETAIL VALUE OF ARTIFICIAL FERTILISERS PURCHASED BY FARMERS IN EACH OF THE YEARS 1950 AND 1951.
|
Year |
Fertilisers for which quantitive data are available |
Estimated retail value of fertilisers for which quantitive data are not available |
Estimated total retail value of fertilisers purchased |
|
|
Quantity |
Estimated Retail Value |
|||
|
Tons (000) |
£(000) |
£(000) |
£(000) |
|
|
1950 |
337 |
4,278 |
21 |
4,299 |
|
1951* |
381 |
5,348 |
4 |
5,352 |
* Provisional.
Is there any difficulty in giving the figures asked for under the heading of (b)—the amount of imported fertilisers in the country on the 1st May, 1952?
The only figures available are for the calendar year 1951-52.
Can we get these figures?
These are being circulated.
Deputy Hickey asked the Parliamentary Secretary if he could give the figures asked for under (b), and I understood the Parliamentary Secretary to say that he intended to give them for the calendar years 1951-52. I think he has overlooked the fact that it is not possible to give them yet for the calendar year 1952.
I am sorry. For the years 1950-51.
Would the Parliamentary Secretary be able to tell us the amount of the subsidies paid on the fertilisers mentioned in the last portion of the question?
That is a separate question.