asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries if, in view of the fact that he is a party to the fixing of the price of sugar at £98 per ton which will mean no increase for Irish beet growers this year, he will indicate the steps he proposes to take to aid beet producers who have to meet very steep increases in production costs in order to keep the beet factories in production.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Beet Price.
45.
The price payable for sugar beet in the coming season is a matter for settlement between the growers and Comhlucht Siúicre Éireann, and I understand that discussions between them are in progress.
The EEC proposals on minimum prices for beet and intervention prices for sugar involve in our case the application of the full Community levels immediately on 1st February next. The question of any changes in these levels for the coming season would arise in the annual consideration of farm prices by the Community in the early part of 1973.