asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries if he will outline the present plans for the utilisation of the 1968 output of creamery milk, giving the gallonage to be utilised in the production of cheese, chocolate crumb, whole milk powder and skim milk powder, the markets in which these products will be sold, and the price expected.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Creamery Milk Output.
22.
Present plans for the utilisation of the 1968 output of creamery milk provide for the use of some 350 million gallons for the manufacture of butter, 60 million gallons for cheese, 40 million gallons for chocolate crumb, 25 million gallons for whole milk powder and 25 million gallons for other products. It is estimated that about 80 million gallons of skim milk will be used in the manufacture of skim milk powder.
It is expected that these products will be sold mainly in the UK, the USA, Canada, Venezuela, Mexico, the West Indies and the Middle East. It is not possible at this stage to give any reliable indication of the prices likely to be realised as these will depend on market conditions at the time of sale. In view of the very large stocks of dairy products held by some countries, world markets for such products have weakened considerably and prices seem likely to remain at rather low levels for some time to come.