asked the Minister for Agriculture if he will state the economic price of butter produced by an Irish creamery.
Ceisteanna — Questions. Oral Answers. - Economic Price of Butter.
By "economic price of butter," I presume the Deputy means the price which would enable the average creamery to pay the guaranteed prices for milk without any subvention from the State. The only element of State subventionnow remaining is in respect of the cost of the cold storage of butter, which is met entirely from State funds, and amounts on the average to slightly over ½d. per lb. The economic price of creamery butter can, therefore, be obtained by adding this figure of ½d. per lb. to the prescribed prices for creamery butter as set out in the Creamery Butter and Butter Boxes Order, 1952, the Roll Butter Order, 1952, and Butter (Maximum Prices) Order, 1952.
In view of the fact that the Minister last week told me that he did not know what the economic price of milk was, will he now tell me how he can arrive at the economic price of butter?
Mr. Walsh
I took it that this was the type of answer the Deputy wanted.