asked the Minister for Agriculture if he will state (1) the total number of central creameries and independent auxiliary creameries in the country; (2) if any of them are engaged solely in butter production, and, if so, what price these creameries paid for milk in 1950; (3) how many creameries made returns and are included in the preliminary returns referred to in his reply to a question on 4th April, 1951 (Volume 125, No. 1, column 23), and (4) if the price paid by creameries mainly engaged in chocolate crumb, evaporated milk and cheese production was 15.68 pence per gallon in 1950, whether this sum included the price, stated by him on that occasion, of approximately 3d. per gallon for skim milk.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Creamery Industry.
The information requested is as follows:—
(1) 161 central creameries and 54 independent cream-separating stations.
(2) Yes. The average price paid for 1950 by creameries solely engaged in buttermaking was, according to the preliminary returns collected by my Department, 14.64 pence per gallon.
(3) All creameries.
(4) No.