asked the Minister for Agriculture if he will introduce proposals for legislation to amend the Dairy Produce Act, 1924, so that milk producers shall obtain from the dairy disposals board and the co-operative societies the full price for milk used for chocolate crumb production purposes without any deduction being made in respect of the butter fat content of the milk returned from the creamery or of wastage due to spilling.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Price for Milk.
The answer to the Deputy's question is in the negative.
As I informed the Deputy in reply to a question which he asked on 21st May, 1952, creameries which sell milk for use in the manufacture of chocolate crumb do not purchase the milk from particular milk suppliers specifically for that purpose. Each creamery group purchases milk on the basis of its butter fat content only, and in fact, they are obliged to do so under the provisions of the Dairy Produce Act, 1924. The actual price which the creamery can pay for the milk depends on the various uses to which the milk supply generally is put, including butter making, cream, liquid milk, chocolate crumb, etc., and on returns from other trading activities. Where, however, the creamery requires to use whole milk such as for sale for chocolate crumb, the suppliers who do not receive back their skim milk are paid for the skim on a gallonage basis. Normal mechanical losses in butter fat in the day to day working of creameries cannot be prevented by legislation and the suggestion in the latter part of the Deputy's question is quite impracticable.