asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the steps, if any, which are being taken to protect the Irish bacon industry against the flood of imports from Dutch and Danish competitors; his plans regarding the future of the bacon industry; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers. - Irish Pigmeat Industry.
71.
As a member of the EC it is not possible to prohibit imports except where there is justification on animal health grounds. The most effective response to import competition is for the Irish pigmeat industry to become as efficient as its rivals. This applies at all stages from production to slaughtering and processing and up to the marketing of pigmeat products.
While improved performance is possible at all levels the manufacturing sector is of particular importance. A rationalisation programme for the slaughter-house industry is at present being implemented through the replacement of a large number of outdated premises with a smaller number of plants capable of more cost-efficient throughput. Extensive modernisation of processing plants, which will obtain their raw material from the larger scale slaughterhouses, is also being undertaken. The pigmeat sector has been singled out for particularly generous grant-aid of up to 75 per cent between the IDA and FEOGA for suitable projects throughout the country. A special allocation of FEOGA funds for this purpose has been made.
While the industry is well structured at producer level, a recent An Foras Talúntais report on competitiveness pointed to a number of areas in which increased efficiency could be achieved. Since feed is such an important element in pig production costs, it is clearly in the interest of both the compounding industry and the pigmeat industry to ensure that feedingstuffs for pigs are available at the most competitive prices to the user.
The full benefits of improvements at producer level and of the capital investment programme at processing level will not be achieved unless they are supported by aggressive marketing, involving diversification of markets and products.
The overall aim for the sector is the development of a more efficient and modern industry capable of competing effectively on both domestic and export markets.