Thomas Foxe
Ceist:73 Mr. T. Foxe asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry the plans, if any, he has to alleviate the plight of farmers engaged in the cattle winter fattening system. [2237/96]
Written Answers. - Cattle Winter-Fattening System.
I am fully aware of the difficulties being faced by winter fatteners as a result of the fall in market prices since the end of last year. This fall has been mainly due to difficulties on the British market and the uncertainty created in the market by the reductions in export refunds during last autumn.
I have impressed on the EU Commission and my colleagues at the Council of Ministers the need for a restoration of the refunds to levels which would underpin the income situation of beef producers and in particular, winter fatteners. The matter was again raised at the beef management committee meeting last week but the Commission refused to propose an increase in refunds, citing the strong market prices in the EU overall, as one of the reasons for not doing so. I will continue to press the Commission to take action before the current licences, taken out at the higher level of refunds, expire at the end of next month. These licences are in adequate supply to cover normal exports until the end of February. I should point out that no export licences have been taken out by beef traders here at the current lower rates.
The payment of the deseasonalisation slaughter premium, which is worth up to £60 per steer slaughtered this spring and £14 million in total, will be an important factor in maintaining returns to winter fatteners. Nonetheless, an increase in refunds — or equivalent action — is urgently needed and I will continue to press our case on this until it is achieved.