Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 2 May 2017
1143. Deputy Kevin O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the amount of animal feed imported in each of the years 2010 to 2015; the top five countries of origin of the feed, in tabular form; and if he has given consideration to the concerns expressed by an organisation (details supplied). [19172/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe following table sets out the information requested by the Deputy:
|
YEAR |
Total Animal Feed Imported (Tonnes) |
Top 5 countries of origin |
|
2010 |
3,644,703 |
United Kingdom United States Argentina France Brazil |
|
2011 |
2,543,107 |
United States Argentina United Kingdom France Canada |
|
2012 |
3,051,687 |
Argentina United States France Poland Netherlands |
|
2013 |
3,411,548 |
United States Argentina France Poland Ukraine |
|
2014 |
2,837,488 |
United States Argentina France Canada United Kingdom |
|
2015 |
2,875,923 |
Argentina United States France Canada United Kingdom |
In terms of the use of biofuels and consequent availability of by-products for the feed industry, the 2009 Renewable Energy Directive (as amended by the 2015 ILUC Directive), limits to 7% the amount of energy from crop based biofuels, whose use could lead to Indirect Land-Use Change (ILUC) that Member States can count towards their 2020 renewable energy targets in transport.
In November 2016, the European Commission published a proposal for a new Renewables Directive that envisages an overall European Union renewable energy target of at least 27% in 2030. It is proposed in the draft Directive that the amount of energy from crop based biofuels which can be counted towards renewable transport targets in the period after 2020 will be progressively reduced to 3.8% in 2030. I am satisfied that the proposed changes will not have a demonstrable effect on the supply of animal feed in future years.
It is important that biofuel production deliver required greenhouse gas savings and not impact negatively on food production and land use. It is also important that the development of advanced biofuels, which pose little risk of ILUC, are encouraged and measures to incentivise the production of these biofuels are contained in the ILUC Directive and the proposed new Renewables Directive.
It is anticipated the ILUC Directive will be transposed into Irish legislation by DCCAE by the deadline of 10 September 2017.
