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Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 5 Dec 1974

Vol. 276 No. 7

Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Farm Produce Prices.

119.

asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries if he will set up an advisory marketing service to assist farmers to obtain the best possible price for their produce.

For our main commodities we already have marketing or promotional bodies whose membership includes representatives of producers. These bodies are playing an important role in ensuring that farmers get the best possible prices for their produce.

Is the Minister aware that in the west at the moment people take small cattle, in particular, to the marts, sell them at a very low price, and then probably find out that a buyer may have made £500 or £600 profit for his day because there appear to be no guidelines or no protection for the small farmer in the sale of his produce?

We have done everything possible to get the maximum refunds and the maximum assistance for the export of young cattle to third country destinations. There has been some difficulty about shipping, but I am hopeful that we might get some further assistance for exports. As I say, we have kept the processing factories going at full capacity throughout the year in order to remove the maximum number of cattle. More than 350,000 cattle have gone through the factories this year. That is an enormous number of cattle processed. That is into intervention alone.

Would the Minister agree that the only solution is to try to get a floor price for young quality cattle?

That is a separate question.

It is the only answer for the small farmer.

The Deputy will appreciate my concern for this man, but it is very difficult to find a scheme to assist him. There is nowhere else in Europe that has the problem we have, because nowhere else in Europe are cattle reared in one part of the country and fattened in another. It is very hard to get any sympathy for such a scheme in Europe.

We are in a unique situation here.

The Deputy is arguing a case and not asking a question, and it is not relevant to the question. The question deals with an advisory marketing service.

Might I say further, that 80 per cent of farm produce is covered by marketing organisations and very efficient and effective marketing organisations that have done a first class job. It is very hard to have 100 per cent of anything covered.

Do I take it the Minister is satisfied with the present marketing arrangements?

I am not satisfied that the farmers in the west are getting anything like what they should be getting for their young cattle, but I have done everything open to me to meet the situation.

Would the Minister examine the possibility of improving the existing marketing services?

I never cease examining the problem, because it is with me every day I get up.

Questions Nos. 120-123, inclusive, postponed.

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