asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries whether he has received representations about the unsatisfactory quality of ware potatoes on the Dublin retail market; and whether there is any ascertainable reason for this situation.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Ware Potatoes.
22.
Apart from one instance, no representations or complaints have been received in my Department about the quality of potatoes on the Dublin retail market this year. The quality of ware potatoes has, in fact, been very good generally. There have, I understand, been a small number of cases recently where the abnormally mild weather coupled with late blight in foliage resulted in some blight development in tubers, which could, however, appear quite sound when packed by the grower.
Arising from the Minister's reply, for the sake of the maintenance of understanding between the consuming public and the potato growers of the country, I hope he may be able to give the House some information as to the reason why so many inferior potatoes have arrived in consuming centres after what appeared to be a propitious year. I was told by some people it was due to late blight being washed down in certain restricted areas. This may be the reason for it. I would be glad to know if the Minister has heard any such suggestions.
They must be importing them from Monaghan.
It is true that the crops generally, particularly the earlier crops, were very much free of blight, that, in fact, blight made little appearance anywhere until practically into the month of September and, perhaps, later, even October, it seemed to have begun to affect particularly the Kerr's Pink variety but, generally speaking, while there may be complaints, the Deputy's question is the first and only complaint that has been brought officially to me in any sense of the word in this matter because of the fact that even though there may be some blighted tubers on the market at the moment the general quality has been much better than in most years. That is not to say that I regard the quality of potatoes, particularly in the Dublin market, as truly representative of the best quality potatoes to be got in the country and it always amazes me why, even in the worst years, there should be anything but the best sold in the consuming areas of the country.
Most of them come from Donegal.
They certainly do not and that is one of the reasons why they are not as good as they should be.