asked the Minister for Agriculture if he will state (i) whether there has been any alteration in the price paid by the British Ministry of Food for tinned beef exported from this country in recent months; (ii) why canners have reduced their price for cows by 2½d. per lb. during the period referred to, and (iii) whether the canners have guaranteed to fulfil the quotas allotted to them.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Price of Tinned Beef.
The reply to the first part of the question is in the negative. As regards the second part there are no fixed prices for canning cattle which are bought in the open market. The price is, therefore, governed by supply and demand. The reply to the last part of the question is in the affirmative.
I hope I shall not delay the House too long if I ask the Parliamentary Secretary if he is not aware that the price of cattle used by the canners has been considerably reduced in recent months while the price of the commodity they are selling has remained the same? In certain cases the price has been reduced by as much as 3d. per lb. for a commodity which is being sold in one case at 1/5 a lb. and in another case at 2/7 a lb.
The price is governed by supply and demand. I think the Deputy is familiar with the arrangements which were made and which have been in operation since 1941. Up to 1946-47 the Ministry of Food contracted before each canning season to take from this country 10,000 tons of canned stewed steak. Before the 1947-48 season the Ministry intimated that they would take not more than 5,000 tons. The quantity was brought back to 10,000 tons last year. This year they agreed to take 6,000 tons.
Is the Parliamentary Secretary aware that some of these people in Clonmel who have been granted quotas have boasted around the countryside that they intended to buy the stuff as long as it was cheap and that when the price became uneconomic they would not fulfil their quota?
I am not so aware. I understand the quota will be filled.
Was an increased price not given to the canners at the conclusion of the agreement last year before the canning season? Further, in regard to the third part of the Deputy's question, has the Parliamentary Secretary any assurance that, in fact, the canners will fulfil their quotas?
I understand that the quotas will be filled but that this year some firms dropped out because they considered the price uneconomic.