First, I should like to thank you, Sir, for having given me this opportunity to raise this vital matter with the Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture and Food. I will endeavour not to take the full ten minutes in order to expedite business.
On Sunday last three lorry loads of Irish lamb were blockaded at the ports of Le Havre and Cherbourg. Many of our farmers have turned to sheep production in recent years in order to supplement losses incurred in other areas, particularly with regard to milk quota cutbacks, super-levies and problems encountered in relation to cereal production. I might add that 90 per cent of our exports of lamb are to France. Therefore it is vital that there be no harassment of our exporters on the part of French farmers.
Within a couple of weeks this will have been the second time that a beef container will have been attacked with all of the beef destroyed. I appreciate the problems French farmers are encountering in regard to their incomes, particularly within the sheep industry. But rather than blame us and prevent the importation of our traditional exports to France they should look instead to their imports of more than 250,000 tonnes of lamb, the bulk of which is comprised of New Zealand sheepmeat, into the Community. The Community itself is self-sufficient to the extent of 85 per cent in this market. Twenty per cent of Community imports come mainly from New Zealand, causing a 5 per cent glut in our market, because of the derogation allowed, particularly to New Zealand. Our colleagues in Britain — because of the drop in sterling — enjoy an extra bonus by way of their exports to France while they themselves enjoy cheaper imports of New Zealand beef.
I am concerned about New Zealand imports here — for the second year running their frozen lamb has been allowed in — while they enjoy a hitherto unheard of export market of frozen meat here of 540 tonnes this year, affecting our home consumption. This meat is being bought mainly by the supermarkets who are not obliged to state clearly that it is New Zealand lamb they have an offer. They are not obliged to state that it is frozen New Zealand lamb that is being imported as against Irish fresh meat. In this way they are destroying the potential of their clientele within the communities which they purport so widely, by advertisement, to serve.
I am also concerned that the particular type of imports of New Zealand lamb which has aggravated the French and our markets has been comprised of prime cuts; it is not the whole carcase that is being imported, which is what must be done if we are to be competitive. For example, gigots or neck of lamb is not used but rather prime cuts in order to compete against our farmers in this area. Some identification procedure should be compulsory in all EC countries, stating clearly that these are foodstuffs from other countries.
I am particularly concerned at the attitude of the French. Indeed, many people outside this House would be concerned that, through our embassy, we have not brought the matter sufficiently to the attention of the French authorities on numerous occasions. The French have highlighted their position when, in regard to the Tour de France, they brought about a detour the other day. They also blockaded our trucks going into Le Havre and Cherbourg. This is particularly worrying at a time when the price of Irish lamb has never been as low in the marketplace. Indeed, I might add that the benefit to farmers would be even lower had it not been increased by our Minister for Agriculture and Food during our Presidency of the EC this year — when he got an extra £3 per head for lamb.
Our Department of Agriculture must now be seen to protest publicly to the French authorities in regard to this matter and also take the matter up directly with our ambassador in Paris and the French ambassador here. Indeed, I would recommend that they seriously consider — because of the crisis obtaining in Europe in the sheep industry — a suspension of all imports into the Community for a period, or devise a better price support mechanism for Irish and other Community-produced lamb. I warn the Minister that this will continue to be a problem while we allow greater imports than consumption within the Community overall. This arrangement formed part of the ridiculous GATT and 1976 agreements under which New Zealand and Australia were allowed exceptional latitude because of their former Commonwealth status.
I would ask the Minister of State to give the House an assurance that there will be no continued threat to our exports of lamb. Any perceived threat at present will merely cause panic in the market, bringing the price of lamb even lower than that obtaining at present. I should also like to see the Minister advance a case for the consumption of more lamb in this country while the present low price obtains. I would ask the Minister to recommend to the European Community the idea of a temporary suspension of importation of all New Zealand products.
