asked the Minister for Agriculture the total number of gallons of flexi-milk which was available for farmers in 1985-86; the number of farmers who qualified for flexi-milk; if he will give a breakdown of the different categories of farmers who qualified and the gallonage allocated to the following creameries: Kerry Co-op, Ballyclough, Mitchelstown, Golden Vale, Waterford and Avonmore; the total amount available to all other creameries; the number of farmers who qualified in each creamery area; the gallons allocated to each farmer in the categories; if he will explain the supervisory role being adopted by his inspectorate in policing the allocation of quotas; the number of new entrants to milk production in each creamery area; the number of farmers who ceased production; the number of quotas that have changed hands; if he is satisfied with the overall working of the quota system since its introduction; if the creameries should show more efficiency in the operation of the quotas; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers. - Milk Production.
The distribution of flexi-milk is only relevant in the case of co-operatives and other purchasers which exceeded their quotas. In the case of purchasers who do not exceed their quotas such distribution does not arise because none of their suppliers are liable for super-levy. The quantity of flexi-milk available for reallocation by purchasers which exceeded their quotas in 1985-86 was approximately 26 million gallons.
In 1985-86 four categories of producers qualified for priority in flexi-milk allocations. These were (i) producers with quotas of 25,000 gallons or less who were following a milk development or improvement plan (ii) producers in financial difficulty especially those in the "rescue package" (iii) producers who sold their land in 1983 or in early 1984 and who unwittingly relinquished their quotas and (iv) producers whose deliveries in 1983 were abnormally low due to an animal disease outbreak in the 1978 to 1980 period and who did not benefit from the reserve set up in 1984 under the cessation scheme. In the case of the distribution of flexi-milk by those purchasers who exceeded their quotas the number of producers in the various categories was as follows: (i) 6,730; (ii) 762; (iii) 6; (iv) 286.
The amounts reallocated to farmers were dependent on the quantities available in the purchasing area and the quantities required by the special categories in that area. As the quota system is operated on a purchaser basis, details of the amounts allocated to each individual farmer are not collected. Officers of the Department are, however, empowered to examine purchasers' records to ensure that the guidelines laid down for flexi-milk reallocations together with the other provisions relating to the quota system as contained in the regulations are being observed. The Department does not have details of the number of producers who went out of milk production or of quotas that have changed hands.
I am satisfied that, taking account of the constraints which it imposes, the system is working reasonably well and that the purchasers are operating within the guidelines laid down.
As regards the co-operatives named by the Deputy, two (Waterford and Mitchelstown) did not have super-levy liability in 1985-86 and consequently the distribution of flexi-milk is not relevant in their cases. The following table gives particulars of the numbers qualifying in categories (i)-(iv) as furnished by the other co-operatives concerned:—
|
Co-Operative |
Category (i) |
Category (ii) |
Category (iii) |
Category (iv) |
||||
|
No of Producers |
Quantity Allocated (gals.) |
No of Producers |
Quantity Allocated (gals.) |
No of Producers |
Quantity Allocated (gals.) |
No of Producers |
Quantity Allocated (gals.) |
|
|
Kerry |
2,384 |
1,776,199 |
90 |
264,383 |
See Note Below |
52 |
70,050 |
|
|
Ballyclough |
656 |
1,183,046 |
120 |
390,650 |
78 |
195,412 |
||
|
Golden Vale |
2,202 |
1,150,410 |
138 |
309,469 |
92 |
232,786 |
||
|
Avonmore |
871 |
1,520,985 |
276 |
715,437 |
11 |
24,033 |
In the case of category (iii) because of the small number of producers involved the figures are given globally for the four co-ops concerned. The number of producers is five and the quantity allocated amounted to 137,523 gallons.
401.
asked the Minister for Agriculture the number of gallons of milk on which the super-levy was paid in 1985-86; the amount of money paid; the names of the creameries; the products which were manufactured from the surplus milk by the creameries who were over quota; and how the product was disposed of.
The quantity by which our milk quota for deliveries was exceeded in 1985-86 was 670,000 gallons and super-levy of approximately £650,000 was paid on this quantity. However, the Department is at present completing checks on the operations of dual quota holders (i.e. producers with a direct sales quota as well as a deliveries quota) and it is expected that as a result of transfers the net excess will fall to be reduced by approximately 200,000 gallons. The appropriate refunds will be made to the purchasers and producers concerned in due course.
The creameries which were liable for levy payments were: Avonmore Creameries Ltd., Ballyragget, Co. Kilkenny. Ballyclough Co-operative Creamery Ltd., Mallow, Co. Cork, Bandon Co-operative Agricultural and Dairy Society Ltd., Bandon, Co. Cork. Centenary Co-operative Creamery Ltd., Cloncleigh, Ballyduff, Thurles, Co. Tipperary. Drombane Co-operative Agricultural and Dairy Society Ltd., Drombane, Thurles, Co. Tipperary. Golden Vale Co-operative Creamery Ltd., Charleville, Co. Cork, Liathmore Dairy, Middle-piece, Two-mile-borris, Thurles, Co. Tipperary. Lisavaird Co-operative Creamery Ltd., Lisavaird, Clonakilty, Co. Cork. Kantoher Co-operative Agricultural and Dairy Society Ltd., Killeedy, Ballagh, Co. Limerick. Kerry Co-operative Creameries Ltd., Princes Street, Tralee, Co. Kerry. Lee Strand Co-operative Creamery Ltd., Church Street, Tralee, Co. Kerry. Meadow Well Dairy, Greeve, Breaffy, Castlebar, Co. Mayo. Newmarket Co-operative Creamery Ltd., Newmarket, Co. Cork. Newtownsandes Co-operative Creamery Ltd., Moyvane, tistowel, Co. Kerry. Poles Co-operative Creamery Ltd., Poles, Co. Cavan. Crefogue Dairies, Crefogue House, Enniscorthy, Co. Wexford. Slaneyside Farm Dairy, Crossabeg, Wexford. Tipperary Co-operative Creamery Ltd., Station Road, Tipperary. Wexford Creameries Ltd., Rocklands, Wexford. Yeats Country Farms, Carraroe, Co. Sligo.
It is not possible to relate milk deliveries in excess of quota to products produced.