asked the Minister for Agriculture if he will state the price charged for butter ex-creamery.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Butter Prices.
The information sought by the Deputy is contained in the Creamery Butter and Butter Boxes Order, 1947, and the Roll Butter Order, 1947, both of which were made on the 16th April, 1947, by the Minister for Agriculture then in office. The prices prescribed in the latter Order do not apply in the case of unrationed butter made up in official wrappers and sold at a maximum retail price of 3/6 per lb.
At what price is butter available ex-creamery?
I think that is the next question the Deputy has asked me.
I do not think so.
asked the Minister for Agriculture if he will state the margin of profit allowed to the wholesale and retail trade in the price of 3/6 per lb. at present being charged for unrationed butter.
In consequence of the issue of official wrappers in which unrationed creamery butter must be sold, the subsidy payable to creameries in respect of their sales of this type of butter will be reduced by 10d. per lb., being the difference between the maximum retail price for rationed and unrationed butter. The price at which unrationed butter will be sold to wholesalers and retailers is a matter for negotiation between the creameries and these merchants.
And what is it now?
It is not available for distribution until 1st June. It is a matter for negotiation between individual creameries and individual wholesalers and retailers and, therefore, it is not a subject upon which I would have official information.
Is it suggested that the price of unrationed butter available ex-creamery to wholesalers will differ as between creamery and creamery?
Not giving the Deputy a short answer, I do not know and I do not care so long as the retailer charges the consumer no more than 3/6 a lb. for off-the-ration butter.
I feel that the Minister is side-tracking my question. I merely want to know how the Minister arrives at 3/6 as a fair price. Having regard to the passage of that butter from the creamery through the wholesale and retail trade to the consumer, what elements totted up to the figure 3/6? That is a fair question.
Perfectly fair. I approached the matter in a slightly simpler way: 2/8 plus 10d. comes to 3/6.
Am I to take it that 2/8 is what will be paid ex-creamery and that the margin of profit between that and 3/6 will be available to the wholesale and retail trade?
The Deputy is mistaken. Each wrapper costs the creamery 10d. Now they may sell butter wrapped in that wrapper to a wholesale or retail distributor at whatever price they like, but the retailer must not charge the consumer more than 3/6 per lb., a figure which is clearly printed on the wrapper.
How did the Minister, or his Department, arrive at the conclusion that 3/6 was in fact a fair price having regard to the factors to which I have referred?
By adding 10d. to the fixed maximum retail price; 2/8 plus 10d. comes to 3/6.
The Minister is obviously trying to sidestep an awkward question.
I assure the Deputy that if I add 10d. to 2/8 I cannot get any other result than 3/6.
Who gets it?
The butter producer.
Why is it 10d.?