asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce the likely effect of EEC membership on imports of jam to this country.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Membership of EEC.
118.
I would refer the Deputy to the reference to this matter (Paragraph 5.1) in the Report by the Committee on Industrial Progress on the Fruit and Vegetable Processing Industry which was laid before both Houses of the Oireachtas on 18th June, 1970.
I understand that, since the publication of the report, efforts have been made to achieve a degree of rationalisation in jam production and that the industry is now better fitted to meet the challenge of free trade than at the time of the report.
Can the Minister tell me what will happen? Will the import restrictions on jam be changed significantly?
They will be changed. The Deputy asked about the likely effect. The figures over the past couple of years show that the volume of exports of our fruit jellies, jams, marmalades, purées and pastes have increased enormously, which indicate a healthy position.
Is some of the change not due to supermarket chains importing all their jams and not using Irish jams at all?
This is not so. I would not like the Deputy to think that "Bo-Peep" jams are imported. They come from Leitrim.
Is it not a fact that because so much jam is being imported the Irish jam manufacturers are no longer buying the quantity of fruit which they used buy from the fruit growers of this country? The Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries was dealing with this point half an hour ago.
I am glad the Deputy raised this point. I referred to exports. The Deputy asked about import figures. In 1969 we imported £48,000 worth of jam, marmalade and fruit jellies. In 1969 we exported £192,000 worth of jam. In 1970 we imported £58,000 worth and we exported £324,000 worth. Actually the increase in imports was £10,000 and the increase in exports was over £130,000.
The Minister is talking about different things.
I am talking about imported jams, marmalades, and fruit jellies.
Fruit jellies are the main item.
In a recent visit to the food fair in Cologne in Germany I saw a stand there with Irish jams. The management of some of the concerns involved were there and were doing good business.
How much jam do we sell to Germany?
(Interruptions.)
Can we have any control on the retail outlets here who own manufacturing companies in England and sell only English jams?
No.
(Interruptions.)
No.
Is there no way the Minister could control it?
I would hope the customer could control it.
Questions Nos. 119 and 120 postponed.