Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 471: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food the comparisons which have been made with prices received by the producers for the full range of agricultural products here and throughout the European Union; if she has identified discrepancies; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34581/05]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The most recent statistics, published by EUROSTAT for June 2005, show the percentage change in the index of producer prices of agricultural production by member state compared to the same month the previous year. The results show that the index fell in the EU by 8% and in Ireland by 3.3%. Ireland had the eighth lowest decrease, with only Slovenia and Lithuania recording increases.

The prices received by producers are determined by a number of factors and most importantly by the level of demand within the marketplace. The level of supply of a product, the degree of competitiveness within the sector and consumer demand will all influence the final price received by the producer. As Ireland is a trading nation, exporting the majority of its major agricultural products, the price to Irish farmers is primarily determined by conditions on EU and international markets, rather than those on the domestic market.