asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food, following the £140 million pig expansion programme announced in July 1987, if he will outline the breakdown in expenditure on this programme by (a) the EC (FEOGA), (b) the IDA, (c) processors and (d) farmers.
Written Answers. - Pig Expansion Programme.
108.
The development programme for the pigmeat sector, which I announced in July 1987, involves a total investment of £140 million in the rationalisation and modernisation of the industry by 1992.
A number of major investments in slaughtering and processing facilities have already been carried out under the programme; other projects are in the course of construction while some others are at an advanced planning stage. My Department has to date, approved of investment projects in pig slaughtering and processing facilities involving a total capital input of nearly £80 million. The IDA has committed £15 million to these investments while EC FEOGA grant assistance of £39 million has been sought, of which about £15 million has been approved.
Achievement of the targets set down in the development programme requires an annual pig output of three million head by 1992. Farmers are being encouraged to increase pig numbers through incentive packages put together by the plants involved in the development programme. In this way the benefits of the State and FEOGA resources being channelled to the industry will assist farmers in meeting the necessary investments for additional pig places.