asked the Minister for Agriculture if he will arrange for the sale of subsidised butter on the home market instead of abroad to ensure that Irish consumers will benefit from the State subsidy.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Sale of Subsidised Butter on Home Market.
9.
The consumption of butter per head in this country is already the highest in Europe while the price paid to producers for milk is among the lowest. It is common practice in butter exporting countries to have the home price for butter higher than the export price.
If the price for milk were to be determined by the export price of butter milk prices in this country would be reduced by 9½d. a gallon. On the other hand if butter were to be sold on the home market at the export price the total cost of butter subsidy would be about £10,000,000 a year.