asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he will give details of food imports into this country in 1985; if he will give a breakdown of these; and the steps he proposes to take to reduce these imports.
Written Answers. - Food Imports.
17.
Limerick East): According to the Central Statistics Office, the value of food imports into this country in 1985 was £994 million. I shall arrange to send a breakdown of these figures to the Deputy. However, some of the more significant imports are (i) vegetables and fruit, £179 million; (ii) cereals and cereal preparations, £173 million and; (iii) animal feedstuffs, £148 million.
The Deputy will be aware that, in reply to a similar question relating to 1984 imports (Question No. 30 of 10 December 1985, Official Report, Vol. 362 No. 9, cols. 1610-12) attention was drawn to the need to temper any interpretation of these figures with the realisation that some of our food imports represent "paper transactions", for example, in the case of live animals for transshipment to other countries, or cattle for slaughter and re-export as beef. In addition, a considerable volume of other goods is imported for further processing, while a significant number of other commodities are not produced in this country.
In reply to the question referred to above some of the measures which have been taken to place domestic industry on a more competitive footing were highlighted, for example: (i) the granting of aid to firms involved in the grading, packaging and storage of potatoes; (ii) the promotion of improved links between vegetable growers and market outlets; (iii) a series of high level meetings with the supermarket groups were held and highlighted the importance of these groups in assisting the processing sector by engaging in development-type contracts with local producers and processors, and (iv) the IDA have approved grant aid for a number of value added projects which should result in import substitution.
The House will be interested to learn of some additional measures which have been taken since the beginning of 1986 to further encourage import substitution in the food sector. In January, the IDA published a new brochure entitled "Opportunities in Food Manufacturing". In February, a "Food Fortnight" was organised by the IDA in conjunction with the IIRS and major supermarkets to highlight in a practical way the range of products which could be produced at home. The promotion attracted 1,100 people and about 40-50 of these are actively considering projects through feasibility studies or further discussions with the IDA.