Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 3 Nov 1992

Vol. 424 No. 8

Written Answers. - Tomato Growers' Difficulties.

Dick Spring

Ceist:

219 Mr. Spring asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if his attention has been drawn to the serious difficulties being faced by tomato growers; if the Government will extend the Employment Subsidy Scheme and/or FÁS training schemes to existing jobs in the tomato sector, standardise the price of natural gas to all glasshouse crop producers, introduce a reduced interest subsidy scheme to assist growers with working capital for the next year, or initiate action at European level to stop the importation of Moroccan tomatoes into the EC from 1st March to 15th November to relieve pressure on prices in the EC, in order to alleviate the situation of the tomato growers and that of the employees.

Dermot Ahern

Ceist:

229 Mr. D. Ahern asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if his attention has been drawn to the difficulties being experienced by the home tomato growing sector mainly cheap importation of Moroccan tomatoes, natural gas price variations and a lack of capital in the industry; and if he will make a statement on the matters and particularly the way in which Government agencies can assist.

Minister for Agriculture and Food (Mr. Walsh)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 219 and 229 together.

The EC common organisation of the market for fruit and vegetables includes tomatoes and coversinter alia, intervention arrangements and the regulation of trade with third countries. Imports of tomatoes from Morocco in excess of quantities provided for under the agreements concluded between the EC and various Mediterranean third countries are subject to the reference price system, which operates as a minimum import price. When reference prices are not respected countervailing charges are imposed.

I am aware of the difficulties being experienced by tomato growers and my colleague Mr. Liam Hyland T.D. Minister for Rural Enterprise recently met with their representatives to explore these difficulties. He is having a comprehensive examination made of the possibilities for alleviating, consistently with EC obligations, the problems being faced by the sector.