A limited supply of pork products returned to the shelves today as processing in the beleaguered pork industry resumed following the announcement of €180 million fund for pork producers and pig farmers.
The Government agreed to set up the fund for processors and farmers to cover the costs of the recall on pork products at the weekend due to the dioxin scare.
The European Union today also announced a €15 million private storage aid scheme to help Irish pigmeat producers affected by the recall.
Under the aid scheme, producers will be compensated for putting their pork into cold storage until it can be sold at a later date when the market has recovered from the current crisis.
Commissioner for agriculture and rural development Mariann Fischer Boel said: "This is a piece of practical action to help support the Irish pork sector at this difficult time.”
Meanwhile Supervalu and Superquinn said a limited amount of Irish pork products were on sale at its stores across the country.
Both supermarket chains said they expected normal supply to return in the coming days as large-scale slaughtering resumed.
Tesco and Aldi said they expected Irish-sourced pork products to be back on their shelves from Saturday.
The €180 million rescue package for the industry was agreed in the early hours of this morning following several days of intense negotiations at Government Buildings.
The money will be also used for the slaughter and destruction of infected animals.
The return of Irish pork products to the market will involve certification by veterinary and health officials that the pigmeat was not fed on contaminated feed and after a new label is issued by An Bord Bia.
Taoiseach Brian Cowen said he would be working with the EU and processors to get the €1 billion industry back on its feet again.
"We are making a facility available of the order of €180 million in terms of the product recall that is now taking place,” he said.
Minister for Agriculture Brendan Smith, was due to travel to several EU states today in an attempt to revive export markets,
Mr Smith said he hoped full-scale slaughtering would resume very quickly and the thousands of jobs compromised in recent days could be secured.
“I know well the anxiety felt by pig farmers throughout the country over the past week and I hope that this morning's news will ease their anxieties and concerns,” he said.
Earlier trade union Siptu called off a protest by pig industry workers, laid-off due to the contamination scare, following the breakthrough in talks over the extent of the rescue package.
