asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries how much honey produced in County Wexford was rejected as inferior this year; whether this was due to its sugar content not being precisely at 80 per cent; how much foreign honey was imported into this country during 1969; what its sugar content was; at how much per pound it was imported; how many people import this honey; if it is imported under licence; and how many of the people who import honey are also in a position to buy or refuse to put on the market home produced Irish honey.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Honey Imports.
5.
My Department do not control the purchase of home produced honey by wholesalers or others but my information is that not more than 3 per cent of all the honey offered for sale by County Wexford producers to the major outlets in 1969 was rejected; and that such rejection could have been due to (1) low sugar content (2) off-flavours or taints (c) impurities or (d) additives.
Imports of honey in the first nine months of 1969 amounted to 410 tons valued at £101,000 or 2/2d per lb., while exports and re-exports totalled 230 tons valued at £72,000 or 2/10d per lb. I have no information regarding the sugar content of the imported honey.
Imports of honey are not subject to licence but they are subject to customs duty at the rate of 1/- per lb. Duty-free licences are given for such imports of run honey as are required (much of which is for re-export) but only to firms who have been active in the purchase of the home crop.
Do I take it from the Parliamentary Secretary's reply that there is a condition in regard to the sugar content of the home produced honey and not of the imported honey?
The sugar content must be at least 80 per cent.
Yes, but would the Parliamentary Secretary repeat what he said in regard to there not being the same condition in regard to the sugar content of imported honey?
Imports of honey are not subject to licence but they are subject to customs duty of 1/- per pound.
I am talking about sugar content. Is there any condition with regard to the sugar content for imported honey?
We have no information about the sugar content of imported honey.
Surely if there is a standard for home produced honey there ought to be a standard for imported honey?
You might be getting treacle instead.
Would the Parliamentary Secretary care to make an observation on that?
This is the information I have.