asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries how Irish costs and yield of bacon per cwt dead weight of pigmeat compare with Danish costs and yield.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Pigmeat Production Costs.
23.
Representative comparable figures are not available. I would refer the Deputy to paragraphs 118 to 126 of the Survey Team on the Bacon and Pigmeat Industry, published in 1963, about the difficulty of making reliable comparisons. It is usually accepted, however, that somewhat better results generally are obtained in Denmark.
Has the Minister any idea at all about the difference in cost and yield? Has he any estimate of the difference per pig or per cwt?
Yes; there was an estimate given in that report to which I have referred the Deputy, but the Deputy will appreciate that the Danes are fairly shrewd people and are not terribly anxious to let their competitors know exactly what their costs are.
Is the Minister making any effort to ensure that our curers are similarly shrewd?
Yes, making every effort.
Is the Minister making any progress?
Yes, we are. We have got the percentage yield up by two or three per cent in the past couple of years.