asked the Minister for Agriculture if he will state why the export price for beef for the month of January was not announced by his Department earlier than the last day of December.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Export Price of Beef.
asked the Minister for Agriculture if, in order to encourage winter production and feeding of fat cattle essential to successful tillage, he will state (a) what efforts were made by him to secure a higher price for exported beef for the month of January with a rising scale of prices to the end of stall-feeding season; (b) why, contrary to the interests of winter feeding, a flat rate was negotiated for the months November to March inclusive; (c) whether his Department undertook to supply a quota for those months; (d) why the export of store cattle was prohibited during the greater part of the month of January, and in making this decision what interests, if any, were consulted.
I am replying to Questions Nos. 27 and 28 together. Every effort possible was made over a prolonged period to secure a higher level of prices for fat cattle in the first six months of 1942, including the month of January. The negotiations had not concluded at the end of December and it was found necessary to make on 30th December an announcement to the effect that there was no change in the price of fat cattle exported to Great Britain. A flat rate was not negotiated. The British Ministry of Food refused to agree to an increase in price of beef between 1st December, 1941, and 20th April, 1942, when the price will be advanced by ¼d. per lb. No quota was arranged but the Ministry of Food require a week in advance notification of the number of fat stock proposed to be shipped each week. The shipment of store cattle was stopped from 12th to 24th January, inclusive, in order to reserve all available shipping space for fat cattle. This step was taken because of the urgency of disposing of all surplus grass-fed cattle suitable for slaughter before they lost their condition and in view of the short supply of feeding stuffs available for cattle feeding and other purposes.
When an increase in the price of exported beef was secured by the Minister's Department, was it conditional on our side filling the quota?
No.
And when that increase was accepted was the price of stock for winter feeding adverted to? In other words, did we accept a price in November, for beef off the grass in November and December, without taking into consideration that men who were going to put cattle into the stall for sale in January, February and March, would have to accept the same price for the cattle as that paid for cattle going into the stall in November? If that is the attitude of the Minister, it is cutting across his whole tillage policy.
That is not a question.
I am asking the Minister, was it adverted to?
Of course it was adverted to.
Was that point of view put to the British Ministry?
Yes.
And what was their attitude?
Their attitude was to refuse.
Does the Minister know that they have a rising scale of prices for British farmers?
Yes.
And does he say that they were not prepared to consider Irish farmers who were producing beef for export?
I answered that already.
What was the answer?
That the price is fixed.
Will the Minister give a categorical reply to that? Did they say no, that they would not?
I already gave a very extensive and full reply to that question.
Did they say that they would refuse to consider the winter period of January, February and March? Was it adverted to in the November negotiations?
Yes. I told the Deputy that already.
The Minister is very hesitant about his replies.
I am not hesitant at all. I answered the question three times already, and answered it very fully. Any question the Deputy has asked me since has been answered already.