asked the Minister for Agriculture the action he proposes to take to encourage tillage farming given the restriction of the milk super-levy and the failure to expand cattle production.
Ceisteanna - Questions. Oral Answers. - Tillage Farming.
11.
It is a matter for each individual farmer, in consultation with his agricultural adviser, to decide what type of agricultural production suits him best, having regard to such factors as farm size, soil type, market outlets, etc. Farmers who decide to increase tillage acreage should concentrate on getting the best possible yields of high quality products which can most readily be sold on the open market.
Would the Minister not agree that individual farmers working in conjunction with their advisers, could not fill the bill and that it is time there was a complete examination of all farm enterprises? There must be a wider spread of farm activity, related to ability to sell products abroad. Would the Minister also not agree that there must be a great market available if sufficient encouragement were given to people to use fresh vegetables and fresh fruit produced here rather than relying on massive imports of canned and tinned fruit? There is a great potential there if some promotion was done by some of the sales promotion bodies.
The Deputy is quite right in what he says. In common with all countries in the EC, we have difficulties because of the quota systems being introduced. The member states are looking for alternative methods of farming. The Deputy will be interested to know that the Commissioner for Agriculture, Mr. Andriessen, has set up six or seven study groups to explore areas where alternative production can take place, that is, alternative to the type of production that has been the basis of agriculture in the Community for so many years. This is what the Deputy is advocating. I will let him have a list of the programmes that are being studied.
(Limerick West): Will the Minister not agree that there are major shortcomings in respect of the value-added element of our food products? What proposals has he to ensure a greater value-added content so that there may be a greater degree of processing of the produce in question?
Again, that is a matter for the business acumen of the people in the industry. If they think there is a reasonable profit margin to be made they will get into the value-added sector. As I pointed out, the IDA and FEOGA give very generous grants with regard to other commodities and that is something that should be pursued by more people. As I pointed out at the end of Question Time yesterday, a visit to the Spring Show will illustrate to people that this is taking place.
(Limerick West): Will the Minister not agree that his Department must offer some motivation? It is no longer sufficient for the Department merely to be concerned with the production of food, they must also look at it from the point of view of consumers. It is not good enough for the Minister to say that other organisations and agencies are dealing with that matter. It is his responsibility and that of his Department to make sure that there is progress in this area.
We give all possible advice. Those are our terms of reference. We are not involved in the industrialisation aspect of the industry. That is the responsibility of the Department of Industry, Trade, Commerce and Tourism.
(Limerick West): Does the Minister not think it should be his responsibility?
There is a division of responsibility and the industrialisation aspect remains with that Department. We give every possible assistance with regard to advice, that is, not just advice regarding the growing of these commodities but also advice with regard to the grants available from the IDA and FEOGA. They are very generous grants.