Edition Bobbett1. Texts by Elizabeth F. Bobbett: 1.1.3. Correspondence, Letters to newspapers

1947 Elizabeth Bobbett: Letter to the Westmeath Examiner, 29.11.1947

A Free Turkey Market

Sir. Owing to the very great expense in rearing a flock of turkeys, and the way the producers have been exploited here for the past number of years, we asked the Minister for Agriculture to give producers a free market this year for their turkeys.

We are sorry to read that he does not intend to do so. We are told that Eire turkeys are to command the same price as British turkeys this year, but we are told that the price we will get here is only 3d a pound more than last year. Of course, with a monopoly for the export of turkeys and the fact that Eggsports Ltd. (the firm with the monopoly) imposes a levy of approximately 9d a lb on our turkeys which they keep to enable them to send cheap eggs to Britain, the Eire producer does not get the British price for her turkeys.

Whatever argument may be used in favour of fixing prices for other commodities, there is to my mind no good argument in favour of fixing turkey prices, except the keeping down in price of a luxury dish to benefit the well-to-do and the rich who can well afford to pay a good price which any one who goes to the trouble of rearing turkeys is well entitled to.

There is no excuse in this case that the poor will be affected, and there is no need for tears if the people in other countries want turkeys, let them pay what they like for them, but give the turkey producers the benefit to which they are justly entitled - a free market.

The fact that we were allowed to send gift turkeys last Christmas was a great help to producers in getting a better price. Even this small concession is denied us this year.

Yours faithfully, Elizabeth F. Bobbett. General Secretary, Irish Farmers’ Federation, Springfield, Wicklow.