asked the Minister for Agriculture if he will state (i) the estimated quantity of eggs to be exported to Great Britain during the current financial year; (ii) how many cases will be required for this quantity and (iii) whether the cases so used will be manufactured from home-grown timber.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Egg Exports.
(i) It is estimated that about 3.5 million great hundreds of hen eggs will be exported during the current financial year; (ii) About 1.17 million cases will be required for that export. (iii) Since the beginning of the current financial year about 200,000 cases made from native timber have been used for the export of eggs, but native timber egg cases will not be used for the export trade during the remainder of the current financial year.
Can the Minister say why native timber will not be used?
The principal reason is because native timber cases are not entirely suitable for the export and preservation of eggs. Moreover, as native timber is by no means in surplus supply, it is not a matter about which I think it is necessary to be unduly anxious, especially as the foreign timber used in the manufacture of these egg cases is entirely processed in this country.