asked the Minister for Agriculture if he will state what steps he proposes to take during the coming year for the extension of the creamery industry.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Extension of Creamery Industry.
Deliveries of milk to creameries during the first four months of the year in 1947, 1948, 1949 and 1950 respectively, were 9,897,000 gallons, 10,871,000, 15,581,000 and 20,023,000 gallons. This indicates that butter production in the coming season will be sufficient to meet the requirements of the home market; and leave a substantial surplus. At the present prices for milk, every cwt. of butter produced involves a payment by the Exchequer of approximately £4 by way of subsidy. This makes the cost of butter so high that it cannot compete in foreign markets with butter offered by other countries, and so precludes the possibility of marketing an exportable surplus unless at a heavy loss. The Deputy will realise that these conditions are not propitious for expanding the creamery industry, but markets for cheese, cream, chocolate crumb, evaporated milk and other alternative milk products are being cultivated with a view to mitigating the difficulties arising from the present price structure.
Is the Minister aware that there is a decline in the market for farmers' butter? Is he further aware that there are many areas which are not served by a creamery industry? Can the Minister indicate what steps his Department proposes to take to give these farmers an alternative method of disposing of their butter?
I would be much obliged to the Deputy if he would give me some suggestion as to what he thinks could profitably be done to get a market for farmers' butter. I have tried on occasion to warn the House and the country of the growing difficulty of getting any market at all for farmers' butter and I am bound to inform the House now that, stringent as these difficulties were last year, they have every appearance of being infinitely greater in the future.
In view of the fact that the Minister has completely misunderstood my supplementary question, may I ask him again if, in view of the fact that the market for farmers' butter is declining, he would indicate what steps he proposes to take to assist such farmers by an extension of the creamery industry or providing them with some alternative means of disposing of their butter?
As the Deputy is no doubt aware, the whole of north Clare and south Galway has been provided with creamery facilities. A survey of the whole of County Wexford has been made with a view to establishing a satisfactory network of creameries in that county. In any area where there is the slightest prospect of a milk supply developing sufficient to maintain either a separating station or a creamery the Dairy Disposals Board is both willing and anxious to survey any such area with a view to providing facilities; but all such developments have to be contemplated in the light of the major problem to which I referred in the first part of my reply.
Would the Minister indicate that in the event of farmers cooperating in the establishment of a creamery industry he will refrain from issuing ultimata to the co-operative societies threatening them with a reduction in price?
Now the Deputy is just being impudent.
A Leas-Cheann Comhairle——
Question No. 19.