International Trade.

Wednesday, 31 May 2006

Ceisteanna (1)

Trevor Sargent

Ceist:

1 Mr. Sargent asked the Taoiseach the level of imports and exports over the past 12 months for which information is available for all timber, energy and fibre crops, meat, poultry, dairy, mushroom, potato and various vegetable and herb products. [12179/06]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí ó Béal (7 píosaí cainte)

Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach (Mr. Kitt)

The information requested by the Deputy, with the exception of energy and fibre crop goods, is presented in table 1. For comparative purposes, information for the years 2001 to 2005, inclusive, is presented in table 2. Table 3 identifies the main constituents of each of the required commodity categories for 2005 with comparative data for 2004.

Table 1 - 2005

	Exports	Imports
	€ (000)	€ (000)
Timber	321,820	739,185
Energy and fibre crops*	n/a	n/a
Meat (incl. poultry)	2,179,967	554,482
Dairy	1,097,648	360,102
Vegetables (incl. mushrooms and potatoes)	162,674	326,425
Herbs and spices	2,076	13,156

*Presently the merchandise trade classification does not separately identify energy and fibre crop goods.

Table 2

	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005
	€(000)	€(000)	€(000)	€(000)	€(000)
Exports
Timber	231,901	272,754	290,855	302,596	321,820
Energy and fibre crops	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
Meat (incl. poultry)	1,594,119	1,744,491	1,857,618	2,054,023	2,179,967
Dairy	1,080,914	952,384	955,633	1,056,426	1,097,648
Vegetables (incl. mushrooms and potatoes)	165,611	164,438	176,291	146,772	162,674
Herbs and spices	1,030	1,857	1,757	1,760	2,076
Imports
Timber	519,875	519,195	594,730	672,446	739,185
Energy and fibre crops	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
Meat (incl. poultry)	391,594	383,673	416,512	481,294	544,482
Dairy	267,924	275,827	333,749	340,130	360,102
Vegetables (incl. mushrooms and potatoes)	294,647	313,827	315,448	306,093	326,425
Herbs and spices	11,314	11,887	12,029	15,262	13,156

Table 3

	2004	2005
Timber	Exports	Imports	Exports	Imports
Commodity type	€(000)	€(000)	€(000)	€(000)
Beech	10	2,029	27	2,612
Oak	547	19,375	330	22,011
Pine	8,555	21,136	9,248	22,601
Spruce	26,935	101,167	20,318	118,541
Tropical	1,706	76,037	2,085	86,302
Wood Products (incl. windows & doors)	17,357	174,856	15,352	195,767
Other Wood	247,486	277,846	274,460	291,351
Total	302,596	672,446	321,820	739,185

	2004	2005
Meat (incl. poultry)	Exports	Imports	Exports	Imports
Commodity type	€(000)	€(000)	€(000)	€(000)
Beef, fresh or chilled	1,015,538	20,461	1,121,140	30,392
Beef, frozen	127,485	26,847	115,711	18,268
Beef, processed	157,711	13,685	143,495	23,390
Lamb, fresh or chilled	170,859	4,640	175,874	5,029
Lamb, frozen	86,095	11,239	103,964	18,640
Lamb, preserved	3,824	988	6,523	950
Pork, fresh or chilled	93,969	79,085	112,037	95,060
Pork, frozen	12,860	3,426	16,871	3,166
Pork, preserved	101,093	73,875	89,203	63,126
Poultry, fresh or chilled	48,321	91,683	58,084	101,810
Poultry, frozen	30,697	55,687	30,798	66,952
Poultry, processed	170,637	61,445	167,375	71,063
Other fresh or chilled meat	921	1,325	701	1,678
Other frozen meat	57	2	0	9
Other preserved meat	33,956	36,906	38,191	44,949
Total	2,054,023	481,294	2,179,967	544,482

	2004	2005
Dairy	Exports	Imports	Exports	Imports
Commodity type	€(000)	€(000)	€(000)	€(000)
Birds eggs	3,633	11,627	4,042	13,214
Butter	361,894	10,145	327,014	10,560
Buttermilk	20,171	1,799	26,604	2,902
Cheese	358,336	97,228	384,768	85,603
Ice-cream	10,804	33,498	11,097	36,921
Milk and cream	225,158	128,869	250,910	145,909
Milk constituents	4,958	782	10,846	197
Whey	54,754	9,310	69,794	13,862
Yoghurt	16,718	46,872	12,573	50,934
Total	1,056,426	340,130	1,097,648	360,102

	2004	2005
Vegetables (incl. mushrooms and potatoes)	Exports	Imports	Exports	Imports
Commodity type	€(000)	€(000)	€(000)	€(000)
Cabbage, cauliflowers, broccoli, etc.	3,335	9,648	5,223	13,515
Carrots, turnips, etc.	400	7,264	686	9,883
Lettuce, chicory, etc.	1,465	9,736	1,443	13,010
Mushrooms	90,853	2,102	111,505	1,912
Other mushrooms, prepared or preserved	7,140	385	30	621
Onions, leaks, etc.	1,190	19,607	4,434	19,680
Other onions, leaks, etc., prepared or preserved	922	2,080	140	1,528
Peas, beans and pulses	360	5,563	577	6,613
Other peas, beans and pulses, prepared or preserved		115		128
Potatoes	4,923	15,507	1,560	15,560
Other potatoes, prepared or preserved	16,171	85,841	17,328	89,807
Tomatoes	1,372	25,737	3,711	32,403
Other tomatoes, prepared or preserved	289	10,328	209	8,368
Other vegetables, fresh, chilled or frozen	1,675	78,853	8,719	75,688
Other vegetables, prepared or preserved	16,677	33,327	7,109	37,709
Total	146,772	306,093	162,674	326,425

	2004	2005
Herbs and Spices	Exports	Imports	Exports	Imports
Commodity type	€(000)	€(000)	€(000)	€(000)
Cardamons		96	4	50
Cinnamon		139		108
Cloves		181		172
Coriander, cumin etc.	7	392	6	452
Curry		731	101	967
Ginger	1	541	—	498
Mace		6		5
Nutmeg		170		122
Pepper	28	3,181	48	2,977
Saffron and Tumeric	56	120	3	126
Thyme and Bay Leaves	1	839	2	968
Vanilla	1	1,794	2	666
Other spices, ground	1,594	5,194	1,828	4,155
Other spices, unground	72	1,878	82	1,890
Total	1,760	15,262	2,076	13,156

Mr. Sargent

Will the Minister of State at least inform me of the way the information is collected? Is he able to say in respect of imported food whether it is apparent from these figures if the food originated in Ireland and was exported and processed in India, for example, before being re-imported? How would such food be categorised in the import and export figures which I have requested? Is it possible to deduce what traceability exists so we can be accurate about those figures?

Mr. Kitt

The data presented here are a combination of custom base, non-EU trade statistics. It estimates from the Interstat survey of Irish traders involved in trade with other EU member states. With regard to food, some of the questions relating to traceability would be more appropriately directed towards the Minister for Agriculture and Food.

Mr. Sargent

I did so. I was directed backhere.

Mr. Kitt

We do not have that detail. We simply have a list of commodity types such as beef — fresh, chilled or frozen — lamb, pork etc. Questions on traceability are more appropriate to the Minister for Agriculture and Food.

Mr. Sargent

I raised the question with the Minister for Agriculture and Food and it was redirected to the Taoiseach. We must get to the bottom of the question. The import and export figures given in the response must be verified as such because food is no longer simply imported or exported. Food is processed along the way and other issues arise with regard to food safety, climate change arising from CO2 emissions and food transport, all of which need to be evaluated. These figures appear to be half-baked because they do not reflect the reality of how food is manufactured, traded and consumed around the world. It is time we differentiated those elements in the figures because, as they stand, they are not detailed enough to give the full picture.

Mr. Kitt

I will be glad to revert to CSO officials to ask them what they can provide in addition to the detailed information they have given. I will be interested to see what further details are available to get to the bottom of the question, as the Deputy has requested.