asked the Minister for Agriculture whether he is aware that the current price for maize meal mixture in Ireland is £10 per ton ex-mill, while price of maize meal at Liverpool is £7 15s. per ton ex-mill; and, if so, whether he can account for the wide disparity in this essential raw material of the live-stock industry.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Price of Maize Meal Mixture.
The price of maize meal mixture free on rail at the principal portal mills varies from £9 2s. to £9 10s. per ton.
I have no information regarding the price or quality of maize meal sold ex-mill Liverpool, but it would not be possible to have maize meal mixture sold in this country at £7 15s. per ton, having regard to the fact that the cost of Argentine maize delivered at mills situated at ports in Ireland is rather more than £8 per ton.
Arising out of the Minister's reply, I would be glad to know from him where he gets the price of £9 2s. free on rail for meal. I bought the maize meal mixture last week and paid £10 for it, ex-mill, Sligo. I believe every other merchant in the West of Ireland is paying that price for Indian meal at the present time.
That is quite possible. The figures I quoted are the figures for maize meal mixture free on rail at the principal portal mills, the mills at the ports.
Is not Sligo a port, or has it moved inland since I was last there?
I do not know that there is any portal mill in Sligo, and I am speaking about port mills.