asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the reason the Council regulation on production groups was not extended to Ireland in respect of pigs and pigmeat; whether it should be so extended; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers. - Council Regulation Extension.
48.
The purpose of the EC Council Regulation on producer groups is to encourage farmers to form themselves into groupings in the interests of concentrating the supply of agricultural products and adapting production to the needs of the market. The producer group concept is particularly aimed at regions of the Community where production is disorganised and fragmented resulting in serious structural deficiencies at supply level.
When the Regulation was being extended to Ireland priority was given to those sectors most in need of structural improvement at producer level. The pigmeat sector was not included in this priority list in view of the high degree of concentration at production level with about 85 per cent of production coming from only 6 per cent of the holdings.
The producer group Regulation will enter into effect in Ireland in the four sectors (beef, sheepmeat, cereals, potatoes) agreed by the Council in December 1988 when a set of detailed implementing rules are finalised by the EC Commission over the coming months. I will be waiting to see the level of interest in and uptake of the produce group measures in these four areas before deciding on the question of seeking their extension to other production sectors.