Cecilia Keaveney
Question:263 Cecilia Keaveney asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry the current position in relation to the EU calf processing aid scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3788/97]
Written Answers. - Calf Processing Scheme.
Measures adopted by the Council of Agriculture Ministers in October 1996 obliged member states to introduce an early marketing premium scheme for veal calves or the calf processing scheme. As Ireland has no veal industry we are obliged under Council Regulation (EC) No. 2222/96 to introduce the calf processing premium scheme.
The purpose of the measures is to assist in bringing the market into balance thereby assisting producer prices to recover to reasonable levels and orderly marketing to be restored within the EU and internationally.
A processing premium of 120 ecu is payable on male dairy breed calves and 150 ecu on beef breed calves which are less than 20 days old. The premium will be paid only on animals which are in a fit and healthy condition on presentation and are processed in conformity with the terms and conditions of the scheme. Nine EU export licensed meat premises have been selected as processing centres and to date 144 calves have been processed under the scheme.