asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries if he proposes to take any steps to ensure that satisfactory marketing arrangements are made for turkey producers in the coming season; and if he will make a statement on the price per lb which may be paid for turkeys.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Marketing of Turkeys.
20.
The marketing of turkeys being on the basis of supply and demand, the prices obtainable by producers this season will depend on actual market conditions; and these can be influenced by varying factors on the home and export markets. On the information available, it seems likely that supplies will be rather greater than last season. However, an increased demand is also likely as compared with last season.
Does the Minister appreciate that this industry has been declining all down through the years? He must be well aware of that in his own county of Donegal which, like Mayo, was packed with people producing turkeys. Does the Minister not appreciate that this industry has now almost disappeared in these counties? Can he show no interest or supply no more information to the House than he is now giving? Has he no interest at all?
The actual figures projected for this year would indicate an increase on last year. At the same time, while there should be greater numbers available there would be a greater demand. This would apply not only in the home market but, perhaps, to some degree on the export market but the hopes for a great increase on the export market are not good.
Does the Minister not appreciate any little increase which may occur in the present year will be due in the main to the fact that a few large units have now engaged in this industry to the exclusion of the ordinary small producers whom we knew in the times gone by? Would the Minister not try to keep the few small farmers we have left by giving them some guarantee of a minimum price and forget about the big units?
The question as to where the increase has or has not arisen is not very material at the moment. The fact is that supply and demand rule in this particular product which, to that degree, can be said to differ from other products. It is one of the products not supported and the request of the Deputy is that it should be supported. If it were to be supported we would have to find an outlet for it. The outlook does not seem to be very bright for a worthwhile increase in this direction. Perhaps it is of little use to those who breed and feed turkeys but there is another line which, indeed, those who fed turkeys over the years particularly in the west of Ireland used feed to a greater degree than they do now and that is pigs. I had been trying with minimum guaranteed prices and guaranteed export prices to get more of them produced. There is a market for them and there does not seem to be any great rush in these areas to come in on it. This guarantee in relation to prices for turkeys without any outlet for them which would be the case would not be a very bright idea, much though it might reflect itself in regard to those in the West who have been producing these birds.