Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 24 Mar 1992

Vol. 417 No. 5

Written Answers. - Potato Storage Facilities.

Máirín Quill

Ceist:

401 Miss Quill asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if his attention has been drawn to the fact that 29,000 tonnes of potatoes were imported into Ireland in the period March/June of last year; if he accepts that most of these imports could be eliminated if the storage capacity of Irish potato growers were to be increased; and if he intends to make further moneys available from the OPRD to enable farmers in this country to extend their storage capacity and to provide ancillary equipment so that the full demands of the Irish market can be adequately met from the native sources of supply.

Minister for Agriculture and Food (Mr. Walsh)

Grant aid amounting to £2.1 million has been approved under the Operational Programme for Rural Development (OPRD) (1991-93), which is funded jointly by the State and the EC. Under the OPRD scheme for the potato sector, the Department has approved 137 projects, which will attract a total investment in the region of £5 million.

The projects being aided are mainly for the provision of new storage, in insulation and ventilation of existing storage, and storage handling equipment. My Department has estimated that investment under the OPRD scheme will provide additional storage capacity for 15,000 tonnes and improved storage for 30,000 tonnes.

There are no further moneys available under the scheme, which continues until the end of 1993. Aid is also available for the potato sector under Council Regulation (EEC) No. 866/90 in respect of projects designed to improve the processing and marketing of agricultural products. Under this scheme (1990-93) eight potato projects have been approved to date. These include the provision of new storage for 13,000 tonnes and improved storage for 3,000 tonnes.

The additional storage capacity and storage improvement being provided under both of these schemes should, when completed, enable producers to extend the marketing year for the Irish potato crop and thus reduce considerably our dependance on imports.