asked the Minister for Agriculture if he is in a position to give any indication of the price which Irish turkeys will realise during the Christmas marketing season this year.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Price of Turkeys.
53.
It would be unwise and, indeed, impracticable, at this stage, to try and prophesy prices so far in advance of the season.
If, at any time during the season, it proves possible to give reliable advance information on price trends, this will be done.
Would the Minister feel free to give this measure of reassurance to the turkey producers here, namely, that we have reasonable grounds for hoping for a reasonable price for turkeys in this year as compared with the average of recent years?
I do not know. This type of question is the very one on which, as Minister, I should be very careful about giving that sort of reply. There are so many people in the country who have the same means of calculating what the market conditions are likely to be as we have, and in some cases better, that I hesitate to prophesy what the future holds. It could be very misleading; it could be very inaccurate. In certain circumstances, it could do good and in other circumstances, it could do harm. Therefore, I should fight shy of it but not because I am afraid to make a prophecy if there is justification. In this case, I do not feel I should.
I appreciate the Minister's reluctance to prophesy, but would he agree with me that the other sources of information to which he referred largely consist of experienced exporters and groups of dealing people and co-operative societies? The one element in the community with little or no guidance as to market prospects consists of the small producers. While I sympathise with the Minister's reluctance to prophesy, would he not consider at some stage seeking to give to the small unorganised producers some forecast analogous to that which will be available to dealers and experienced operators on the turkey market?
My only information, and the only market we have had so far, is in respect of a contract with the Americans. The prices have been paid for certain types of turkeys. These prices are known but in the last portion of my reply, I pointed out that "if, at any time during the season, it proves possible to give reliable advance information on price trends this will be done"—if it is possible to give reliable advance information.