asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries if he is aware of any boycott being maintained against Irish dairy produce in British stores; and, if so, whether he has made representations in this matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Irish Dairy Produce.
68.
It is not possible to quantify how far consumer resistance to higher prices and political considerations, respectively, may have been responsible for some slackening in demand for branded Irish dairy produce in Britain. The matter is not one which lends itself to representations by me.
Would the Minister make such a comparison if he had received figures as to the effects on the British market of produce from other countries?
I do not know if that would be a realistic or useful exercise because there are more factors involved than one. There is the factor referred to in the question and there are others, such as the increasing consumer resistance to butter prices generally on the British market.
Is it not so that butter prices from all countries supplying the British market are going up and that, therefore, if we are to take Irish butter in isolation on that market the resistance to it would be due to considerations other than that of price?
Yes, that might be an interesting exercise for the Deputy to engage in.
The Minister knows I have not got the resources he has got to carry out such a study.