asked the Minister for Agriculture whether he is aware of the extremely low price paid by jam manufacturers for raspberries to growers in County Meath, and whether in view of the great discrepancy which exists between the price paid for raspberries and the price charged for jam, he will have an inquiry held into the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Meath Fruit Prices.
I am not aware that an extremely low price has been paid by jam manufacturers for raspberries to growers in County Meath. I would refer the Deputy to the answer given by me to his question on 20th June, 1939, in which I mentioned that the jam manufacturers had undertaken to pay for last year's crop of raspberries, on the growers' premises, a price of £38 per ton and for the 1940 crop a minimum price of £38 per ton with a guarantee in respect of both seasons that the whole of the crop would be taken off the growers' hands at not less than that price. I was satisfied at the time that this arrangement was a reasonable one, and I have not any reason to think that it has not been and will not be carried out by the jam manufacturers.
An inquiry into the prices charged for jam by the manufacturers is a matter for the Prices Commission rather than for my Department.