asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce the quantity of CAN fertiliser which was exported during the past month and the quantity exported since 1st January, 1974; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers (Resumed). - Fertiliser Exports.
65.
(Cavan):(for the Minister for Industry and Commerce): During the past month 506 tons of CAN have been exported. The total quantity exported since 1st January was 3,189 tons.
These exports were made to honour commitments entered into by the exporter before October, 1973.
Was it not very foolish to have allowed exports like this, considering that the Minister said here in the House only a few weeks ago that we were short 50,000 tons of nitrogen this year? At the time the Minister mentioned that the commitments were made, October, it should have been known in the Department that there was going to be a scarcity of fertilisers for the present year.
(Cavan): As I have stated, no export has taken place unless to fulfil commitments entered into before October, 1973. My information is that the prevailing shortage could not have been reasonably anticipated at that time by the manufacturers.
It was well known in October; it was common gossip that farmers went out and bought manure whatever way they could before the price would go up, that there were going to be substantial increases. I would be surprised if the Minister's Department did not know about that at the time.
(Cavan): I am answering on behalf of the Minister, and my information is that the exporters who entered into these commitments did not then anticipate a home shortage, and that no commitments have been entered into since that.
Would the Minister ask his colleague to look into it further?
(Cavan): The Deputy's remarks by way of supplementaries will be brought to the attention of the Minister.
And he will write to me?
(Cavan): I assume he will deal with it.