§ 25. Mr. Bruceasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what measures he intends to take to maintain stable pig production.
§ Mr. MacGregorPig production will benefit most from more effective marketing by the industry both at home and abroad, and by endeavouring to keep supply in line with demand. The Government have helped by successfully persuading the Community to restrain increases in institutional cereal prices, to introduce when our market was weak early in 1983 an aids to private storage scheme and later to enhance the rates of aid and also to increase export refunds. We secured a special allocation from Community funds for use in 1983 and 1984 of about £6 million to assist our pigmeat processing industry. At home we have agreed to bear the cost of veterinary inspection in export approved slaughterhouses. We have supported initiatives like the bacon charter scheme designed to increase our share of our own market and we have encouraged the industry to develop exports. In addition, the Community has recently introduced supplementary import levies to prevent the entry of certain low-priced third country supplies. All of these measures are currently helping the industry.