asked the Minister for Agriculture if he will consider fixing the minimum price for feeding barley for next season at 40/- per barrel so as to make it economic for tillage farmers to produce all the barley to meet our requirements and to avoid the necessity of importing foodstuffs.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Price of Feeding Barley.
20.
It is not proposed to increase the floor price already announced for feeding barley of the 1959 crop, namely, 37/- a barrel.
Does the Minister consider that the present price floor of feeding barley is sufficient to ensure that farmers will grow enough barley to prevent the necessity for importing?
I have satisfied myself anyhow that it is the floor at which the price should be fixed.
Surely, when the Minister is fixing the price, he must take into consideration the question of imports? I suggest that the present floor is not sufficient to get enough production to stop imports.
There are quite a few other factors which have to be taken into consideration as well. The price of feeding stuffs is an important matter. All relevant factors have been considered.
Does the Minister not consider that the question of imports is a very important matter? Is it not a fact that if he has to import feeding stuffs he will have to pay more for them?
I have not denied the importance of the factor to which the Deputy has referred, but I am contending that there are other factors at least equally important that have to be considered. All the relevant factors have been considered.