asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries if he will grant a price increase for winter milk which is being supplied to the Dublin liquid milk area.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Milk Price.
5.
The increased minimum producer prices introduced from April last for milk for this trade included a substantially higher price level during the winter months.
Would the Minister not agree that the cost of production has gone up considerably even since that price increase was given? In view of that would the Minister not consider giving an increase for the coming winter?
There is still quite a wide margin permitted in the price increase that is there between prices this winter and prices last winter. There is an improvement in price of 6p and this is quite an appreciable margin of price difference from that obtaining last winter.
Is the Minister not aware that there is a danger that milk may run short in Dublin this winter and for that reason will he not increase prices to ensure that Dublin can have a supply of milk?
Shortages is a different question.
Surely the Minister must advert to the danger that exists of people who are now in the liquid milk supply area moving into ordinary manufacturing milk because it is not profitable to stay in liquid milk. Surely the Minister must have some advertence to this inescapable fact.
The general advice to be followed is that quick movement out of any area is not the wisest policy in present conditions in agriculture. It must be remembered that no application has been received for such price increases and there is this large margin between winter prices this year and those obtaining last year.
Very highly specialised milk production is being put in danger.
The price difference is the answer.