asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries if he will make cheap loans available to farmers who, due to the bad harvest, will have difficulty in providing feed and fodder for their herds during the winter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Provision of Animal Feed.
10.
It is expected that supplies of fodder will be adequate and that action of the kind suggested by the Deputy will not be necessary.
Is the Minister aware that the question of fodder is very serious in the west of Ireland this year because of the fact that weanling calves cannot be sold and that there will be a scarcity of fodder if there is a bad winter?
All the information I have indicates that fodder supplies will be adequate, that the quality in certain cases is not as good as it has been previously but that there has been considerably more silage made in the present year than was made last year and a small reduction in the amount of hay.
I do not think the Minister's information is accurate.
Could we have a question, Deputy?
Because of the rapid increase in the numbers of young cattle, especially of the kind mentioned by Deputy Callanan, and the indifferent hay harvested this year and because of the rapidly increasing price of feed grains, does the Minister not agree that there will be a serious and acute shortage of animal feed before the end of the feeding season?
The information I have does not indicate that. It says that there is no reason for alarm. It is considered that the supplies are adequate but that the quality, because of the bad weather, is not up to usual standards.
Surely the Minister is aware that none of those calves has been sold in the west of Ireland and the feeding that was to be used for cows will have to be used to keep those calves on to see if prices will improve? I cannot see how the Minister can say there will not be a scarcity of fodder. I am afraid there will be.
If it later proves that fodder is scarce, will the Minister help the farmers in this respect?
I am advised that the only cases where loans at low interest rates were made available were cases of emergency like extremely heavy falls of snow.
Let us hope we do not get them.