asked the Minister for Agriculture whether, in view of the serious slump in the price of pigs for bacon at present, he will take steps to have a minimum price fixed for those animals that will ensure the cost of production plus a reasonable profit to the farmer and so guard against the danger of a reduction in pig production and a consequent shortage of bacon.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Price of Pigs.
There has been no serious slump in the price of pigs of suitable bacon weights.
I have repeatedly warned producers that overweight pigs are not saleable as bacon. A high price cannot be expected for such pigs, at any future time. Pigs of suitable bacon weights, on the other hand, have consistently fetched good prices, and will continue to do so.
asked the Minister for Agriculture if he will state the price farmers may expect for pigs of 14 stone during the next six months and the price they may expect to pay for maize and maize admixtures during that period.
Farmers have been receiving over 190/- per cwt. dead weight for bacon pigs coming within the best weight grade and they may expect to continue to receive not less than that figure during the next six months. Pigs of 14 stone dead weight are not of course as suitable for good bacon as those two stone lighter and, accordingly, the top price cannot be expected for such pigs. I take this opportunity of again impressing on producers that the day of the heavy pig is gone and that they should market their pigs at a suitable weight.
Pig producers must inevitably continue to pay whatever may be the world price for maize and milo maize. I have already strongly urged them to plant the maximum acreage possible of Ymer barley, potatoes and oats. There is no reason why pigs fed on home-produced feeding stuffs should not continue to give a satisfactory profit.
Some months ago the Minister announced here that pigs of 14 stone should obtain a price of 190/-. Since then the cost of feeding stuffs has considerably increased and, according to the Minister's reply to-day, farmers are not now entitled to expect 190/- for pigs of 14 stone. May I point out that the Minister did not answer the second part of the question as to what price farmers may be expected to pay for maize and maize admixtures during the next season?
I did. I said pig producers must inevitably continue to pay whatever may be the world price for maize and milo maize.
Might I ask the Minister, if he is giving farmers an indication that they must expect less for their pigs of 14 stone than they got last year, could he give them an indication also of the price they will have to pay for the raw materials they require for fattening their pigs?
If farmers will grow on their own farms, which I suggest they should do, feeding stuffs requisite for their purposes, they shall not have to pay anything at all except the cost of the growing.