asked the Taoiseach if he will segregate the amount of the fall in the value of cattle exports during the first eight months of this year as compared to 1958, that is attributable to the decrease (a) in price and (b) in the number exported.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Cattle Exports.
7.
The exact allocation to a price and volume element of the change in an aggregate value between two periods is to a certain extent arbitrary. It may however be stated in reply to the Deputy's question that—
(a) The decline between the two periods January to August, 1958 and January to August, 1959 in the value of live cattle exports amounted to £9.73 million.
(b) If the average prices of the various categories of live cattle exported had remained unchanged at the January to August, 1958 level the actual changes in the numbers exported would have resulted in a decrease of £10.61 million in their aggregate value between the two periods.
(c) If the numbers of live cattle exported in the various categories in the period January to August, 1959 had been the same as in January to August, 1958 the actual changes in average prices would have involved an increase of £1.47 million in the aggregate value of live cattle exports.