asked the Minister for Agriculture whether he is aware (1) that considerable quantities of last season's oats crop are still on hands; and if he will consider the question of providing immediately an outlet for this oats, as otherwise the surplus will have an injurious effect on the disposal of this season's crop, which promises to be heavy; and (2) whether he intends fixing a price for the 1935 oats crop; and, if so, if he is yet in a position to state what the price will be.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Oat Crop.
The position with reference to stocks of home-grown cereals of the 1934 crop is being carefully watched. It is anticipated that the operation of the Order recently made under the Agricultural Produce (Cereals) Act, 1933, requiring registered maize millers to increase from 25 per cent. to 30 per cent. the proportion of home-grown cereals in a maize meal mixture will result in the absorption of all or almost all of last year's oat crop still on hands. As regards the latter part of the question, it will depend on the prices which will be paid for oats of the 1935 crop, when it comes on the market, whether it will be necessary to fix the price of this cereal.