asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he will state (1) the present economic price (c.i.f.) of imported sugar, and (2) the economic price of sugar manufactured from home-produced beet.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Sugar Prices.
The present c.i.f. cost of imported sugar, which is mainly in the unrefined state, varies from £40 to £45 per ton. The cost of sugar manufactured from home produced beet is approximately £37 per ton.
Is the Minister aware of a statement which was made by the General Manager of the Sugar Company, General Costello, in an article which was published in the Cork Examiner of the 23rd of February last? In that article he stated that the average sterling value of Irish sugar was £50 a ton and that the cheapest world delivered price was £62 a ton. That represents £12 a ton more for foreign sugar than for sugar produced at home.
I did not see the statement to which the Deputy refers.
The Minister will find it in the Cork Examiner of the 23rd February. That is only five days ago.
I can only repeat the figures I have given to the Deputy.
The Minister sees that it is unrefined sugar on the one hand and refined sugar on the other hand.
Quite, and I made that quite clear.