asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries whether he is aware of the difference in prices paid by different branches of the Dairy Disposal Company Ltd. for milk supplied to their creameries with the same butter fat content; and of the substantial difference in prices paid by the Dairy Disposal Company Ltd. and co-operative creameries for milk of the same butter fat content; and whether his Department have any proposals which if operated would mean a uniform price per gallon for milk.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Creamery Milk Prices.
38.
The prices paid for milk by individual creameries, including branches of the Dairy Disposal Company Limited, are determined by the financial returns from the various activities carried on by those creameries and by the State support payments. I do not accept that the prices paid for milk by Dairy Disposal Company creameries are substantially different from those paid by co-operative creameries. Some co-operative creameries pay higher prices than those paid by some Dairy Disposal Company creameries and some of the company's creameries pay higher prices than are paid by some co-operative societies.
I do not consider that the introduction of a uniform price for creamery milk throughout the entire country would be in the best interests of the creamery industry and would lead to the increased efficiency in the industry, which is essential if producers are to obtain the best returns for their milk. There is, in fact, considerable scope for improving the returns to milk producers through rationalising the structure of the industry and I would strongly urge all creameries to give earnest and urgent attention to this aspect of creamery development.