asked the Minister for Agriculture the EEC and State expenditure on food marketing for each year since 1975 in respect of each of the following sectors: (i) dairying, (ii) beef and sheepmeat and (iii) pigmeat.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Food Marketing Expenditure.
6.
The information sought by the Deputy is given in the form of a tabular statement which, with the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, will be circulated with the Official Report.
Following is the statement:
EEC/State Expenditure on Food Marketing since 1975
|
(i) |
(ii) |
(iii) |
||
|
Year |
Dairying |
Beef and Sheepmeat |
Pigmeat |
|
|
(£m) |
(£m) |
(£m) |
||
|
EEC |
State |
State |
State |
|
|
1975 |
1.97 |
9.81 |
.50 |
— |
|
1976 |
3.41 |
24.27 |
.50 |
— |
|
1977 |
5.43 |
36.73 |
.53 |
— |
|
1978 |
8.51 |
44.62 |
.60 |
— |
|
1979 |
12.93 |
23.91 |
.64 |
— |
|
1980 |
15.94 |
23.14 |
.32 |
— |
Notes:
(i) Expenditure on food marketing in the dairying sector over the years in question has been largely concentrated in the area of consumer subsidies on butter and liquid milk on the home market. Funds have also been dispensed from the proceeds of the EEC milk co-responsibility levy on product development, the promotion of consumption on the home market and market development abroad.
(ii) No EEC expenditure specifically on marketing has occurred in this sector. National expenditure on the promotion of domestic and export markets has been incurred through a grant-in-aid to Córas Beostoic agus Feola. 1980 was the first year of operation of a restructured CBF — a statutory body financed both by grant-in-aid and producer levy.
(iii) No EEC or State expenditure was incurred specifically for marketing in this sector but an amount of £200,000 is to be paid from the Exchequer to the Pigs and Bacon Commission in 1981 for the promotion of pigmeat markets.
(iv) The above figures do not include any expenditure from the grant of £75,000 provided from the Exchequer in 1980 to finance export promotional measures for Irish food products generally by the Agricultural Exports Co-ordinating Group, which is representative of the Department of Agriculture, Córas Tráchtála and the main agricultural exporting agencies.
In addition to the above expenditure funds are allocated each year from both the Industrial Development Authority and the EEC towards the cost of investment projects on marketing and processing of agricultural products. It is not possible to isolate allocations for marketing only. Details are as follows:
|
Year |
Dairying |
Beef and Sheepmeat |
Pigmeat |
|||
|
EEC |
IDA |
EEC |
IDA |
EEC |
IDA |
|
|
(£m) |
(£m) |
(£m) |
||||
|
1975 |
1.08 |
2.35 |
1.26 |
1.50 |
.33 |
.50 |
|
1976 |
1.17 |
4.87 |
2.11 |
.96 |
.18 |
.22 |
|
1977 |
1.50 |
4.70 |
1.54 |
4.20 |
— |
.87 |
|
1978 |
1.48 |
4.00 |
1.92 |
1.66 |
.55 |
1.24 |
|
1979 |
.34 |
4.82 |
.99 |
1.64 |
1.85 |
1.54 |
|
1980 |
3.75 |
5.77 |
2.46 |
.72 |
.62 |
.69 |
7.
asked the Minister for agriculture the reason the ratio of State expenditure on marketing to value of exports is approximately nine times greater for other food exports as compared with exports from the sheep and beef meat sector.
The ratio of State expenditure on export promotion to the value of the exports is approximately the same for the sheep and beef meat sector as it is for other food products.
Would the Minister explain further what plans his Department have for the Irish livestock and meat sectors because his answer was very short? A further explanation is needed of what they intend doing in this area, which is the greatest potential job creation area in the whole of our economy.
The Deputy's question related to the value of exports, the ratio of State expenditure on marketing to the value of exports, which the Deputy claimed to be approximately nine times greater for other food exports as compared with exports from the sheep and beef meat sector.
That is correct.
I answered the question to the effect that the ratio of State expenditure on export promotion to the value of the exports is approximately the same for the sheep and beef meat sector as it is for other food products.
Would the Minister not agree that that speaks very badly for the whole of the sector, for all sectors, if that is so? The Minister must be aware that expenditure on marketing of beef and pig meat is minimal. Is that not so?
In relation to the Deputy's general remarks, since CBF were reorganised the total amount of funds available to them for marketing have been increased considerable. Naturally the Department would be concerned at all times to ensure that adequate funding is made available to have as aggressive a marketing programme as is possible.
Question No. 8.
What effect has the increased expenditure about which the Minister is speaking had on the presentation of Irish meat, beef and pig meat, or what programme have they adopted by way of improving our sales?
I do not want to go into detail on this except to say that there have been some fairly spectacular successes particularly in the German market with vacuum-packed beef and there are other areas in which significant progress is being made. Obviously we would be concerned to improve that everywhere we can and we will do all we can to ensure that that takes place.