HC Deb 13 April 1988 vol 131 cc153-4W
Mr. Steinberg

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what percentage of pigmeat production is accounted for by each member state of the European Economic Community.

Mr. Donald Thompson

The latest date for which this information is available is 1986. Details are as follows:

Per cent.
West Germany 27
Netherlands 14
France 13
Spain 11
Denmark 9
Italy 9
United Kingdom 8
Belgium/Luxembourg 6
Per cent.
Ireland 1
Greece 1
Portugal 1

Mr. Steinberg

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how much in tonnes of pigmeat is in private storage presently; what is the amount of pigmeat remaining from 1987 storage that has been and is presently being released into a 1988 system; and if he will make a statement on the state of the pigmeat market and the United Kingdom average price per kilogram dead weight of pigs in the first quarter of the 1988 forecast.

Mr. Donald Thompson

During the first four weeks of the current scheme, almost 70,000 tonnes of pigmeat were contracted to go into store in the EC of which 671 tonnes will be in the United Kingdom. No pigmeat now remains in store from the 1987 scheme. The average all pigs price appears to have stabilised. Cereal prices continue to show a downward trend. The pigmeat MCA has fallen in the last four weeks by 4.8 points to -6.1 per cent. due to a strengthening of sterling. Our commitment to the removal of MCAs from the pigmeat sector remains.