§ Lieut-Commander Maydonasked the Minister of Food the guaranteed prices to producers for each grade of eggs between 1st December, 1954, and 31st January, 1955; what were the retail prices for each grade; what quantity of eggs was imported during that period; what were the average retail prices of these imported eggs; and what was the proportion of imported eggs marketed to home-produced eggs marketed for the whole period.
Mr. AmoryThe following is the information:
163W
(d) The range of retail prices of imported hen eggs reported by the National Egg Marketing Organisation was:— Weight per 120 eggs Danish Australian 18 lb. 16½ lb. 15¼ lb. 16 lb. 14 lb. Date per doz. per doz. per doz. per doz. per doz. 1954 s. d. s. d. s. d. s. d. s. d. 2nd December … 5/- to 5/6 4/6 to 5/3 4/6 to 5/- 4/3 to 4/9 4/- to 4/6 9th December … 4/6 to 5/- 4/3 to 5/- 4/3 to 4/9 4/3 to 4/9 4/- to 4/3 16th December … 4/9 to 5/- 4/3 to 5/- 4/3 to 4/9 4/3 to 4/6 3/10 to 4/3 22nd December … 4/6 to 5/6 4/6 to 5/3 4/3 to 5/- 4/3 to 4/9 4/3 to 4/6 30th December … 4/9 to 5/- 4/6 to 5/- 4/3 to 4/9 4/3 to 4/9 4/3 to 4/9 1955 6th January … 4/6 to 5/- 4/4 to 4/9 4/3 to 4/9 4/- to 4/6 4/- to 4/3 13th January … 4/6 to 4/9 4/- to 4/6 4/- to 4/6 3/9 to 4/6 3/6 to 4/- 20th January … 3/3 to 3/9 3/3 to 3/9 3/- to 3/3 3/- to 3/9 3/- to 3/3 27th January … 3/6 to 3/9 3/3 to 3/6 3/- to 3/4 3/3 to 3/6 3/- (e) Approximately 78 per cent. of commercial supplies of first quality hen eggs marketed over this period were home produced.