Emmet Stagg (Kildare North, Labour)
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Question 121: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the information available to her Department on the expected impact on farm incomes of the exceptionally wet weather during the summer 2007 period; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21790/07]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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Adverse weather in the period leading up to harvest time did give rise to concern that there might be a very poor cereals harvest, both in terms of quantity and quality. However, the weather improved just in time and consequently output is not expected to be very far short of the long-term average of 2 million tones. Similarly in the horticulture sector, the poor weather conditions caused problems for planting and harvesting operations of outdoor fruits and crops, however, the improvement in weather conditions in August/early September helped alleviate some of difficulties.

On a more positive note international prices for cereal and dairy products are buoyant and this will impact favourably on the output value of these sectors. However, higher cereal prices will give rise to higher production costs for cattle finisher and pig and poultry producers. The overall net effect on all these factors is difficult to tell at this stage.