asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries why the price gap is so wide between Irish bacon and most other bacon on the British market; and if he will outline the steps he proposes to take to improve this position.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Bacon Prices.
58.
The relationship between the weekly quotations on the London Provision Exchange for bacon from the various supplying countries fluctuates from time to time, mainly for such reasons as the amount supplied by each country and the extent of normal demand for each country's product. Our influence on price levels is, of course, limited by our small percentage of the total market.
Over the past year, out of eight main suppliers, the quotation for our best bacon has normally ranked third highest with that for Northern Ireland bacon.
Special efforts are being made by my Department and the Pigs and Bacon Commission to improve the quality, marketing and price position of our bacon to the maximum extent possible.
Is it correct to state that the current position is that bacon from Northern Ireland is getting a price of 14/- per cwt. in excess of the price we are getting for bacon on the British market?
We have been running more or less neck and neck with them in recent times.
Is the Minister not aware that that statement was published last week?
All sorts of statements are published.
If that is so, is it not true to say that that represents a loss of half a million pounds per annum and is that not due to bad curing here?
No. Over the past three or four years, we have been running neck and neck with Northern Ireland in the same price range: in third place.
Why have we dropped so badly?
We have not dropped on a comparative basis.