Written Answers. - Agri-Food Plan.
Bernard J. Durkan
Question:
19
Mr. Durkan
asked the
Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development
his plans for the future development of the beef, lamb and pig meat industries in the context of agriculture and food within the EU and in trade between the EU and third countries; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[30178/01]
The overall strategy of the Government for the development of the beef, lamb and pigmeat sectors is to ensure that they realise their full potential, thereby maximising their contribution to the national economy. This strategy includes action on a range of fronts, particularly in relation to the production, processing and marketing of meat and is set out in the Agri-Food 2010 Plan of Action and in other strategy statements.
As far as the beef sector is concerned, the overall objective of the plan of action is to enable the industry to recover and increase its presence on the EU market. To this end, the plan provides for an improvement in the quality of cattle through the introduction by the processing industry of appropriate price differentials to reward producers for quality production. The introduction of such differentials will be a condition of eligibility for grant aid for capital investment related to slaughtering capacity. My Department will also progress the introduction of mechanical classification to facilitate the introduction of a differentiated pricing structure. Better breeding is also to be encouraged through the activities of the ICBF and Teagasc. At the processing stage, the main strategy is to encourage the production of value added products and to improve the efficiency of processing through a process of rationalisation aimed at reducing the level of underused slaughtering capacity. This strategy is to be implemented through the national development plan which provides for priority to be given to capital investment aimed at the at rationalisation of slaughtering capacity and increased progress along the value added chain. As far as marketing is concerned, the action plan envisages a continuation of the Bord Bia strategy to increase penetration of the high value EU retail market while maximising our returns from international markets. To ensure both adequate funding for the promotion of beef and the maximum flexibility in the use of these funds, the plan proposed that substantial additional funding should be provided mainly through voluntary contributions by the industry itself. For a variety of reasons, including the emergence of the BSE scares in the EU last year, it has not been possible to establish this voluntary fund.
With regard to the sheep sector, the action plan provides for the implementation of the recommendations of the sheep forum. These recommendations are aimed at the improvement in the quality of sheep production through better breeding practices, the introduction of a traceability system and a quality assurance scheme for sheep and the promotion of Irish lamb on the French market. The monitoring committee which I set up to monitor the implementation of these recommendations has reported considerable progress on these areas. I would point in particular to the new sheep identification and tracing system, known as NSIS, provides for a modern and comprehensive traceability system for the sector.
With regard to pigmeat, the strategic study of the pigmeat industry on the island of Ireland, which Minister Brid Rogers and I commissioned, identified rationalisation of slaughter capacity, scaling-up of plant size and better capacity utilisation as necessary prerequisites to positioning the industry to compete on national and export markets and to bring it into line with international best practice. The Agri-Food 2010 committee also identified rationalisation of processing capacity as an essential ingredient in achieving competitiveness. The Government's response to this report includes an undertaking that measures under the national development plan will include assistance for suitable projects put forward by the pig processing industry which are consistent with direction in which the industry needs to go in terms of structure of processing capacity, development of product portfolio and overall competitiveness. Pigmeat is also included in Bord Bia's publicly funded marketing promotion measures in this country and abroad.
In conclusion, I am satisfied the measures set out in the agri-food plan of action will, if implemented, facilitate the development of the meat sectors, taking account of the wider EU and international context. I should point out, however, that many of these measures are the responsibility of the industry itself.
