Written Answers. - Pigmeat Sector.
Robert Molloy
Question:
47
Mr. Molloy
asked the
Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry
if his attention has been drawn to the serious income problem being experienced by pig producers; the measures, if any, he proposes to take to improve returns from pig production; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
The EU market for pigmeat has been experiencing difficulties for some time now due to over-production in the Union as a whole which is currently around 105 per cent self-sufficient in pigmeat.
EU pigmeat is subject to a common organisation of the market, and so the responsibility for market management and for any special measures rests with the EU. It is not legally possible to take national measures without EU agreement.
I have raised the difficulties being experienced by Irish pig producers and requested appropriate action at the Council of Ministers on a number of occasions. My Department has also raised these matters with the Commission. Moreover at a special meeting which I sought with Commissioner Steichen last month I requested him to take additional measures to alleviate the difficulties in the pigmeat sector.
In response to requests from Ireland and other member states the Commission have taken a series of market support measures. In March 1993 an Aids to Private Storage Scheme was introduced which temporarily removed about 70,000 tonnes of pigmeat from the market. In May and September special export refunds were introduced for exports of pigmeat to Eastern Europe which accounted for a total of 60,000 tonnes of pigmeat being removed from the market. In addition, the EU responded to outbreaks of Classical Swine Fever in Germany and Belgium towards the end of 1993, by the buying up, slaughter, and removal from the market of over 1 million pigs. The cost of this was borne partly by the EU Budget and partly by the German and Belgian authorities. All of these measures had positive effects on market prices.
With effect from this week the Commission has introduced a third special scheme of export refunds for the sale of pigmeat to Eastern Europe which will remove a further 40,000 tonnes of product from the market, and will serve to alleviate the difficulty on the EU market significantly.
I am aware, however, that pigmeat prices are still at a low level, and while I am grateful to the Commission for action already taken, I will continue to monitor the position closely with a view to seeking further action at EU level as appropriate.
