Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

229. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the extent to which the poultry production sector here remains viable; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25523/23]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

As in other meat sectors, global trade conditions will be crucial in determining the outlook for the Irish poultry sector over the medium to longer term.

Poultrymeat, which is a high protein food source, has seen an increase in demand in recent years and this increase has seen a 13% increase in the average price paid in March 2023 when compared to the average price paid 12 months ago. The March average price for 2023 is 16.69% and 17.05% higher than the average price paid in March 2020 and 2021 respectively.

Poultry throughput for 2022 was slightly down on 2021 (-2.45%) with a total of 107.7 million birds processed. CSO figures, released for March 2023, show that the the volume of poultry meat exports rose by 17.79% to 112,299 tonnes in 2022 and the monetary value of Irish poultry exports for 2022 rose by 30.37% to just over €313.2m, when compared to 2021 figures, which were 95,342 tonnes and €240.35m respectively.

The UK (€245.9m) accounted for 78.5% of exports. The Netherlands (€19.4m), France (€9.0m) and Germany (€7.1m) also featured prominently as Poultry Meat export destinations in 2022. Securing market access and diversifying trade remains a key aim for my Department. Developing market opportunities at home and abroad is one of the goals of Food Vision 2030.

I am aware of the pressures being faced by many in the agri-food sector due to the increase in input costs, exacerbated by the impact of the illegal war in Ukraine. The Department continues to monitor the markets and any impacts on the agri-food sector.

Poultry is normally reared under contract to processors, for a pre-agreed price, and therefore poultry producers are not typically subject to the same price fluctuations as other farmers.

I am also very aware of the contribution of the poultry production sector to Irish agri-food as a whole, supporting significant levels of direct employment as well as their role in supporting rural economies and the wider national economy and I firmly believe that the poultry production sector in Ireland remains viable.