asked the Minister for Agriculture if he is aware that Great Britain has adopted a guaranteed four-year price plan as an incentive to farmers to plan and expand production without risk of falling prices, and whether he will consider taking the necessary steps to extend to farmers here guaranteed minimum prices over a protracted period.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Guaranteed Prices for Farm Produce.
I am aware of the announcement, recently made on behalf of the British Government, of a guarantee to producers of milk, fat cattle, calves, sheep and lambs of an assured market for their whole output of milk and meat during the next four years at price levels not less than those at present prevailing, which would be guaranteed minimum prices. Having regard to our conditions, which are, of course, not the same as those in Great Britain, I see many objections to the advisability of departing from the practice whereby prices are guaranteed from year to year for such products as milk, wheat, barley, sugar beet, etc.
The Minister would not give us any of the objections?
We might debate them some time, but this is scarcely the time for it.