asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the proposals, if any, he has for grain growers to enable them to survive and guarantee domestic supplies to this country and to be in a position to compete with substitutes imported from outside the EC.
Written Answers. - Grain Supplies.
108.
I believe that cereal growers should concentrate on the efficient production of quality cereals for use in the milling and malting industries, both on home and export markets. This is the best course for them to follow if they intend to remain in cereal production.
We are in a position to produce the bulk of our cereal requirements but markets can be seriously disrupted by the large-scale importation of cereal substitutes. I have voiced my opposition to the extent of these imports on a number of occasions and am glad to see that the recent European Council has called upon the EC Commission to press for an appropriate solution to problems arising from imports of cereal substitutes into the Community.