asked the Minister for Agriculture if he will make a statement on his policy in regard to the poultry and egg industry.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Poultry and Egg Industry.
asked the Minister for Agriculture if he will make a statement on his policy in regard to the turkey trade.
With your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 32 and 33 together.
With regard to turkeys, there was a phenomenal increase in the production of turkeys in Great Britain for the Christmas, 1956, trade, and there was also an increase of about 25 per cent. in the number of turkeys in this country over the previous year. Great Britain is the main export outlet for our surplus turkeys. The result of the very high production in Britain brought about a glutted market with the effect of very serious decreases in the price received by turkey producers in both countries as compared with the previous year. It is estimated that the price received by our producers was nearly 50 per cent. less than in the previous year. The low prices, however, encouraged our home consumption to an almost unprecedented extent so that despite the increase in the number of turkeys in the country, exports fell by approximately 4 per cent. under the preceding year's figure. It is quite obvious that our poultry-keepers will have to meet very intense competition in Britain on the turkey market. Important steps have been taken to meet this competition by the introduction, under strict veterinary control, of special turkey hatching eggs from the U.S.A. The turkeys hatched are broad-breasted whites and it is estimated that the bulk of the turkeys which will be available from this country next Christmas will consist either of pure white turkey breeds or else of a cross of our American Bronze and the white turkeys, which from the point of view of appearance, fleshing and body formation, should enable us to maintain our place on the British turkey market.
With regard to small table poultry, the competition on our main export market in Britain is becoming serious. To meet this, hatching eggs of domestic fowl have been imported also under strict veterinary control from the U.S.A. The resultant progeny from the eggs are being distributed throughout the country and it is hoped that this will effect a very great improvement in the quality of the table chickens for export which will enable us to meet the competition in Britain against the big broiler chicken production which is proceeding there. In addition, eggs of an improved laying strain have also been imported from the U.S.A. which, when the progeny is distributed, should enable egg production to proceed here on more economic lines. Unfortunately, owing to the heavy subsidisation of egg production in Britain that market for our surplus eggs, so far this season, has disappeared. Every effort, however, is being made to develop our trade with countries outside of Great Britain and consignments of eggs have been sent this season to Germany, the West Indies and West Africa and it is expected that in the next few weeks a large quantity of eggs will be exported to Spain in accordance with the agreement which we have with that country. Owing to the absence of our main export outlet in Britain, the prices to producers have fallen to very low levels. Home consumption at these low prices has increased very considerably and in addition a large quantity of eggs are being broken for sale in liquid form. The extremely difficult problem of maintaining egg production in the adverse circumstances with which the industry is now faced is receiving my closest attention.
That is somewhat different from what you people said during the election campaign.
May I take it that the Minister's policy rests in the last few sentences of his long reply? Deputy Wycherley asked him to state the policy in relation to these matters. Is the Government's policy simply that it is receiving attention?
Well, it has to receive attention because the production has fallen disastrously in these last few years.
What is the policy?
Egg exports fell by over £3,000,000, from £3,800,000 odd in 1954 to £800,000 last year. It is a difficult job. That is the trend in the export of eggs.
Is it not the position that the increased production of eggs in Great Britain had an adverse effect on the price of eggs in this country?
That is right.
Is that not the net position?
That is right and I stated that in my reply.
You were very careful not to say it during the election. You said exactly the reverse.
We said during the election what we say after it.
Who would be bothered taking feathers out of the poor man's tail?
It is a good job that we were not depending on the export of eggs to buy our wheat, anyway.