asked the Minister for Agriculture if, in view of the fact that the exportation of bacon and pigs to Great Britain is strictly limited by quota at present, and the bacon factories in this country cannot take the bacon pigs that are offered them, he will arrange with the British Minister for Food Control to accept all the bacon that this country can produce for export, or, alternatively, advise farmers to breed and feed less pigs so that supply and demand may be balanced and a situation which seems to be rapidly developing in which pigs will be unsaleable in this country may be averted.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Pig and Bacon Exports.
Having regard to the limitations of the home and export markets for bacon and bacon pigs and also the possibility of a shortage of feeding stuffs, I am of opinion that producers should not increase their stocks of pigs at present. The matter of arranging with the British Ministry of Food to take additional quantities of bacon at an economic price is receiving attention. The question of converting surplus pigs into bacon for cold store is also under consideration.
Is the Minister aware that there are thousands of pigs in his own county that cannot be sold at any price? People cannot get them away. Does he know that home curers do not want pigs over 17 stone live weight, and if they are over 19 stone they pay as low as 60/- per cwt.? People who have pigs 16 stone weight expect 73/-, but if they are over that weight they gef only 60/- That has happened in a great many places. I am sure the Minister is aware of that. A few months ago people were advised to increase pig production. Having done so they now have surplus pigs, like oats and barley, left on their hands without any market.
Is it a fact that pigs are unsaleable, and that there are large numbers of bonhams on the market and that these will consume a great deal of valuable feeding stuffs? These pigs have to be kept by the producers until God knows when they may be taken by the curers. To prevent a recurrence of such a state of affairs, will the Minister advise the drowning of young bonhams and thus save valuable feeding stuffs? I do not know any other way of dealing with the question.
We all realise that this is a very serious position, because the British have closed our quotas very strictly and also closed down the export of live pigs. As this question should be taken very seriously, I do not want jibes from Deputy O'Donovan. That is not going to do any good when trying to deal with it. I think Deputies should approach it from the point of view of seeing how we can get somewhere. We will not get anywhere with the other sort of thing.
Where is the alternative market?
If we had an alternative market we would be all right.
Has there been any direct personal discussion with any British Ministers on the subject?
Yes.
When?
In the month of May.
Not since May.