Willie Penrose (Longford-Westmeath, Labour)
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Question 412: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if her attention has been drawn to the fact that up to 70% of the cost of producing a pig here is associated with the costs of feed; and that feed costs have risen by over €100 per tonne in 2007; if her attention has further been drawn to the fact that the competitors to the Irish based pig industry are able to avail of cheaper maize produce and by-products; the steps she is taking to help deal with this anomalous position; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25403/07]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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I am aware that the price of feed materials worldwide has increased significantly in the last 12 months due to a combination of factors which include (i) the increased demand from the feed industry generally and from the biofuel industry and also increased freight costs; (ii) unfavourable weather conditions in many of the major cereal growing regions of the world; and (iii) in certain cases, the lack of synchronisation between the GM authorisation processes in the US and the EU.

The rules governing the marketing and use of GM crops for animal feed within the Community are set down in EU legislation that has been jointly adopted by the European Parliament and Council of Ministers. This legislation, which is binding on all Member States, dictates that only GM events that have been subjected to the necessary health and environmental safety assessment by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and authorised under the relevant legislation can be placed on the market within the EU.

Indications are that the pressures on availability are easing somewhat with Irish importers securing significant supplies of whole maize and sorghum as substitutes for costly wheat and barley used in pig rations. I am hopeful that Herculex RW will be authorised in the near future for marketing within the EU and this should further assist in the availability of whole maize for importation.

Also the EU Council of Agriculture Ministers has, in response to the pressures on the international cereal and feed markets, agreed to suspend the obligation to set 10% of arable land aside. This, coupled with the prospect of farmers responding to more favourable cereal growing market conditions, should ensure that there is an increase in cereal cultivation in 2008.