Vol. 467 No. 6
126 Mr. Callely asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry the support and encouragement available from his Department in respect of the development of the Irish potato industry: and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13858/96]
Support measures for the potato industry are set out in my Department's publication, Schemes and Services 1996. Financial assistance for the industry is available from my Department for the setting up and operation of approved potato producer groups consisting of a minimum of ten growers, or eight in the case of seed potatoes, with a combined annual potato production of 3,000 tonnes, or 1,000 in the case of seed or early potatoes; the provision of new storage capacity, improvement of existing capacity and the purchase of in-store equipment for handling, cleaning, grading, bagging and weighing. A sum of £3.75 million has been allocated under the Operational Programme for Agriculture, Rural Development and Forestry (1994-1999); and projects designed to improve the processing and marketing of agricultural products. A sum of £7 million has been allocated in the period 1994 to 1999 for the potato sector under Council Regulation (EEC) No. 866/90.
