Meat association warning
It presented to him a report prepared by Dr Brendan Kearney, which predicted that the volume of beef available for export would decline in the range of 22% to 33%, corresponding to a 40% to 60% reduction in the suckler cow herd.
On this basis, turnover in the beef sector would decline by 380m to 573m and employment would decline by about 1,300 to 1,900.
The estimated impact of the reduction in sheep production would lead to a reduction in exports of about 25%, with a corresponding decline in the value of exports and employment in sheep-meat processing for export, the report claimed.
Mr Fischler said he did not see this risk. As long as Irish farmers will get good prices for their cattle, there is an absolute guarantee that they will continue to produce.
During his one-day visit, the Commissioner met with the Agriculture and Food Minister Joe Walsh and Marine Minister Dermot Ahern and listened to their concerns about reforms planned for the Common Agricultural Policy and the Common Fisheries Policies.
He also attended a meeting of the newly established Oireachtas Committee on European Affairs.
Mr Walsh has already pledged that he will not agree to changes in the Agenda 2000 agreement which will impact negatively on the Irish agriculture and food industry. Enlargement, the negotiation of the next WTO round and other issues were discussed by Minister Walsh and the commissioner.
IFA president John Dillon urged Mr Fischler to acknowledge the recent decision at the Heads of Government meeting in Brussels to retain the existing CAP regime in place until 2006.
He said that Mr Fischler must accept the importance of proper market management in milk, beef and cereals as the only sustainable economic basis for the European Model of Agriculture.
