asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries the action he proposes to take with regard to the drop in pig production announced by the general manager of the Pigs and Bacon Commission recently.
20.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Pig Production.
19.
asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries if he will make a statement on the present position regarding exports of pigmeat from this country and the failure to meet hard-won markets abroad for this product.
With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 19 and 20 together.
The fall in pig production during 1973-74 and the consequent reduction in the quantity of pigmeat available for export stems from the successive increases in world grain prices and the unsatisfactory prices for pigmeat on export markets in late 1973 and the first half of 1974. This led to a number of producers, especially small producers, going out of business. The situation was of course much alleviated by the temporary FEOGA subsidy which we received from March to November, 1974. An improvement is now taking place, pig production having been profitable in recent months and weaner production especially so.
It is regrettable that so many producers opted out last year because of temporary adverse conditions in the industry. However the many farmers who have been prepared to stay in pigs at a good level of production should continue to make reasonable average profits.
Would the Parliamentary Secretary agree that, if corrective measures had been taken earlier, the situation we are in now would not have arisen?
The corrective measures were taken. On this side of the House we urged the people to stay on, that the cycle was moving around and we were satisfied that the position would improve; but Fianna Fáil propagandists told everyone that the pig industry in Ireland was finished. The Deputy's party are to some extent responsible for the decline and for advising pig producers to get out of pig production to the detriment of the industry.
Does the Parliamentary Secretary maintain that to tell pig producers to stay in the industry means "corrective measures"?
Of course. In any type of business you will have a lean period as well as a fat period. We went through a lean period. The Minister said that pig producers were making no profit but that he expected the wheel was moving around and that in the not too distant future they would obtain profits. We advised people to stay in.
They were advised by the Minister to stay out.
(Interruptions.)
Could the Parliamentary Secretary read the answer to the questions again because it was impossible to hear him?
The fall in pig production during 1973-74 and the consequent reduction in the quantity of pigmeat available for export stems from the successive increases in world grain prices and the unsatisfactory prices for pigmeat on export markets in late 1973 and the first half of 1974. This led to a number of producers, especially small producers, going out of business. The situation was of course much alleviated by the temporary FEOGA subsidy which we received from March to November, 1974. An improvement is now taking place, pig production having been profitable in recent months and weaner production especially so.
It is regrettable that so many producers opted out last year because of temporary adverse conditions in the industry. However, the many small farmers who have been prepared to stay in pigs at a good level of production should continue to make reasonable average profits.
The Parliamentary Secretary has not commented on the consequences for our pigmeat industry and our hard won export market abroad. Does he expect this House and the small pig producers to believe that they are to blame for the situation when the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries told them to get out of the industry and to stay out of it? We are now reaping the result of the disastrous advice given by the Minister.
The Minister gave no such advice.
He did. It is on the record.
It is on the record that he made no such assertion.
When he discovered his mistake he made a different statement.
What the Minister said is completely opposite to the Deputy's assertion.
In the course of the Parliamentary Secretary's reply he blamed adverse conditions and during a previous question he blamed it on the action of Members on this side of the House. Which is correct?
The Members on the Deputy's side of the House made a contribution towards the decline in pig production.
Was it the adverse conditions or was it the Members on this side of the House?
(Interruptions.)
Both made their contributions. Those who accepted the advice given from this side of the House are now in pig production.