asked the Minister for Agriculture if he will state (1) what steps he proposes to take to protect producers of turkeys against the loss which has been caused by the present uncertainty as to prices, and (2) why no warning of the change in marketing conditions was given until after the hatching season; and, further, if he will make a statement advising the producers as to (a) the export price per lb. expected for turkeys, (b) the wholesale price per lb. expected to be payable in Dublin, and (c) the price which the producers should receive in local markets.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Price of Turkeys.
(1) The Deputy is premature in talking about losses before the turkeys have even been sold. In fact, any turkeys that were finished early this year have, I understand, been sold at a higher price than last year.
(2) The change in the marketing arrangements this year should make no difference in the price which producers will receive for their turkeys. The price in the local markets will be decided this year by the consumers' demand on the home and export markets.
In order to guide producers as to the price they should get for turkeys and other poultry from the buyers here, factual information will be made available through the Press and the radio as to price movements on the home and export markets.
I might add that the Deputy is doing a grave disservice both to the turkey producers in his own constituency as well as to turkey producers as a whole by attempting to create uncertainty on the eve of the turkey market. I have more confidence than the Deputy appears to have in the ability of the farmers to get the full value of any produce they have to sell whether it be turkeys or any other commodity.