Godfrey Timmins
Question:16 Mr. Timmins asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if he will outline the volume of (a) beef and (b) milk products which were taken into intervention in 1991.
Vol. 422 No. 5
16 Mr. Timmins asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if he will outline the volume of (a) beef and (b) milk products which were taken into intervention in 1991.
39 Mr. Ferris asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if he will outline his plans for improved marketing of beef and beef products to take account of the changes which will follow from the reduction in the levels of intervention and increased compensation for the producer.
45 Mr. O'Shea asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if his attention has been drawn to the European Commission's proposals to reduce the total beef in intervention by some 250,000 tonnes fewer than in 1991; if he will outline the implications of this for the Irish beef industry; if he will further outline his plans to reduce our dependency on the intervention system; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
51 Mr. Sherlock asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the total number and value of cattle sold into intervention so far in 1992; the total value of (a) meat and (b) dairy products now held in intervention; if, in regard to the comments he made after his meeting with EC Commissioner MacSharry on 30 March that Irish beef producers must sharpen up their products and end reliance on intervention, he will outline the steps he intends to take to ensure that this happens; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 16, 39, 45 and 51 together.
The total number of cattle sold into intervention in Ireland to date in 1992 was over 202,000 head valued at approximately £165 million.
As at 30 June 1992 the total book value of dairy product held in intervention was £97.5 million while at the end of May 1992 the book value of beef held in intervention was £158 million. During 1991 some 265,000 tonnes of beef and 148,000 tonnes of dairy products were taken into intervention in Ireland.
There has been no intake of skimmed milk powder into intervention since July 1991 and butter intake has been minimal, 3,000 tonnes since January 1992.
There are no proposals from the European Commission to reduce intervention beef stocks by 250,000 tonnes less than in 1991. However, during the course of the recent Common Agricultural Policy reform negotiations, it was agreed that a ceiling on beef intervention purchases be fixed at a level of 750,000 tonnes in 1993, gradually reducing to 350,000 tonnes in 1997.
Provided Irish beef processors use the five year period over which these reductions will be effected to increase their penetration of EC markets for change, there need not be any adverse implications for the beef industry.