Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 12 Oct 2000

Vol. 524 No. 1

Adjournment Debate. - Regulation of Poultry Imports.

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin

The word crisis is overused, not least in agriculture. However, it applies today to the poultry industry and in the words of the Irish Farmers' Journal on 2 September 2000, it is a sector in crisis. The root of this crisis was identified as long ago as December 1998 when the report of the food industry development group stated that “good growth in consumption and production is being matched by increased competition from imports” and that “domestic processors are slipping in their bid to compete for the high value added segment of the market”.

Since the publication of that report the situation has deteriorated. Consumption has increased markedly but so have imports of chicken meat. We now have the alarming situation where imports now account for 37% of domestic consumption. More alarming still is the lack of proper monitoring and quality control of these imports. The consumer is in the dark. Chicken meat and other poultry products are being sold in a processed state with no indication of country of origin. The vast majority of consumers are totally unaware of this. In many cases the imported product is packaged by Irish processors and consumers assume from the familiar label that they are eating Irish produced poultry. However, as the figures show they are increasingly likely to be eating products imported from other countries both inside and outside the EU. There is grave concern at the lack of quality control, particularly for products sourced outside the EU. A growing proportion of imports are from the far east. Consumers must be assured both of a clear choice between Irish and imported products and a cast iron guarantee of the safety of all food.

I urge the Minister and his Department, in conjunction with the Food Safety Authority, to introduce quality controls and regulations, including country of origin labelling on all poultry products, given the growing concern at the ever increasing level of unrestricted chicken meat imports that are not subject to the high standards and controls that apply to the home grown product.

The crisis in the poultry industry now threatens the livelihood of nearly 400 growers and breeders and their families, many of them in my own constituency. The growers are caught in an unequal commercial relationship with the poultry processors. They depend totally on them both for meal and day old chickens with which they are supplied by the processors. The growers point out that there is no semblance of partnership in the industry and they, with consumers, are the losers. Unless there is concerted action at the highest level the consumers, producers and ultimately the processors will all lose out.

The promise of planned development of this industry has not been fulfilled. The market for value added poultry has been taken over by imports with consequent loss to this economy. The Irish Poultry Producers Association claims there are many independent importers operating who have no grower base at all in this country. This points to the urgent need for proper regulation of all products, home grown and imported, and regulation of the commercial relationships within the industry so that the livelihoods of all can be protected and the industry developed on a basis of real partnership.

The crisis in the poultry industry has come to a head in County Monaghan. Producers staged a sit-in for over a week at the premises of Monaghan Poultry Products. I have already urged the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development to intervene directly. There is a great need for all involved in the poultry industry to recognise the interdependence of producer and processor. Many hundreds of jobs depend on it. Nothing but disaster can result from outright obstinacy from whatever interest.

I appeal for talks to commence and to continue in a constructive vein until a firm resolution is achieved. I appeal to the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development to prioritise this sector in crisis and to restore the vision and reality of a vibrant and expanding Irish poultry industry supplying safe quality products for consumers at home and abroad.

Dr. McDaid

I apologise on behalf of the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development and I assure the Deputy that the points he has raised will be conveyed to the Minister. I have listened to what the Deputy has said and I hope he will give consideration to the reply.

Poultry imports are estimated to account for a third of total poultry consumption in Ireland. These imports come mainly from other European Union countries such as the UK and the Netherlands and to a lesser extent from countries outside the EU such as Brazil and Thailand. Quality and health controls apply to both sources.

Poultrymeat imports from the EU are subject to the same hygiene standards which are set out in a series of directives and regulations. These cover such matters as ante mortem inspection of the live birds, criteria for approval of production establishments and supervision of slaughtering and processing operations. All premises at which poultry is slaughtered must have the extensive facilities and control systems specified in legislation before they can place product on the market. As well as national controls the EU Commission takes an active interest in the standards and procedures in place in member states and conducts audits and inspections for this purpose.

Concern has been expressed at the growth in imports from countries outside the EU. The fact is that the European Union exports over three times the amount of poultrymeat it imports and this trend is expected to continue. Therefore, the relatively liberal trading regime in this sector is more beneficial than harmful to the Union. Under the World Trade Organisation's GATT arrangements the EU is obliged to improve import access for third country products and there are also trade agreements in place with eastern European countries whereby products can move in both directions at significantly reduced rates of duty.

There is an extensive control regime in place in regard to the veterinary and public health aspects of poultrymeat imported into the EU from third countries. This includes approval of the country or origin as regards disease situation and reliability of official veterinary services. The slaughterhouses supplying poultrymeat must be approved by the EU Commission and experts from the EU travel to third countries to inspect these premises from time to time. Advance notification of all imports must be given to the veterinary authorities of the first EU country at which the poultrymeat will arrive. The product must be presented at a designated border inspection post where it will be subjected to the necessary identity, physical and documentary checks by authorised veterinarians. Thereafter entry into free circulation in the EU will be permitted only when all requirements are met. While the growth in imports of poultry meat is of concern from an economic point of view, I have no evidence that imported poultry meat is of poor quality, nor is there evidence that imported product is not subject to the standards and controls applicable to the Irish product. Imported product is subject to the same testing and analysis which is carried out by the Department of Agriculture, Food and Rural Development and by the FSAI on domestic poultry.

As regards labelling, this area is primarily the responsibility of the Office of Consumer Affairs. Poultry imported from other EU countries and Irish product must bear a health mark indicating, in an abbreviated form, the country and premises where it was produced. This identity can be lost when the poultry is further processed or incorporated into other foods. I understand that a considerable quantity of imported product goes to the catering trade, in which case origin labelling would not reach the consumer.

There is a need for rationalisation and development within the poultry sector. This has been accepted in the Government's response to the report by the AgriFood 2010 Committee. While primary responsibility for investment in the sector and rationalisation of its processing structures lies with the industry, measures under the national plan will be available to encourage such investment.