asked the Minister for Agriculture the action he proposes to take to encourage the formation of co-operatives for food processing and the marketing of agricultural products.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Agricultural Co-operatives.
29.
Agricultural co-operation in this country, which has been promoted and developed over a very long period, is now well established and, apart from the dairying industry with which it has been predominately associated, covers such diverse activities as meat processing, livestock marketing, artificial insemination, pig production, horticultural production and the sale of agricultural requisites. Today co-operatives control a very substantial proportion of agricultural business, both processing and marketing, and are extending their interests with the encouragement of my Department and the assistance of the Irish Agricultural Organisation Society, which is in receipt of an annual grant from the State. Co-operative enterprises qualify for aids from the Industrial Development Authority and FEOGA for the improvement and development of agricultural processing and marketing. Grants totalling £5.3 million were allocated to co-operatives from these sources in 1975.
Would the Minister agree that if we are to compete with our partners in the EEC we must make greater use of co-operatives than at present?
I do not know what the Deputy means when he says that greater use should be made of co-operatives. If he means that we should have more processing and more added value to our products before they leave the country I agree with him wholeheartedly, and I exhort co-operatives to do this at all times.
Is the Minister satisfied with the level of progress to date?
No, I am not satisfied that we are doing anything like sufficient processing or putting sufficient added value to the products before they leave this country. I continuously appeal to the firms who are in a position to do more.