asked the Minister for Agriculture if, given the present difficulties for pig producers, the Government will seek to obtain a transport subsidy of £20.00 per tonne from the EEC so that the pig producers may obtain reasonably priced feeds until the next harvest.
Written Answers. - EEC Transport Subsidy.
464.
Last summer when 50,000 tonnes of feed wheat was made available out of EEC intervention stocks to us there was a critical shortage of feeding stuffs here but that is not the case now.
I am continuing to press the EEC Commission for a transport subsidy on grain bought from intervention stores in other member states but they have so far expressed their opposition to this request. Even if such grain were transferred, it would have to be sold under the rules of the market organisation for cereals at not less than a fixed minimum price and the benefits to pig producers would be at best quite limited.
I am, of course, conscious of the difficulties of pig producers. The reintroduction of aids for private storage for pigmeat and the maintenance of export refund rates are helping to improve the market situation. There is also the prospect of a reduction in monetary compensatory amounts.