Berry good start for Irish producers

IS there anything that defines the taste of summer better than freshly-picked, juicy strawberries liberally doused in cream?

It’s the time of year when youthful strawberry vendors set up their stalls on roadsides up and down the country and, by all accounts, business is getting better all the time.

More than 76% of the population is now buying strawberries on a regular basis, an increase of 2.6% over 2009 figures, with annual sales in Ireland valued at €44 million.

All very much in line with a trend whereby we are eating more fresh fruit and vegetables, reflected in a new study for Bord Bia. The study found that 24% of consumers are eating more fresh fruit compared to a similar study in 2006, with 22% eating more fresh vegetables.

Health, taste and value for money were cited as the main reasons for the increased consumption. Our climate is suitable for the growing of soft fruits and, while strawberries are available all year round, they are at their peak in June, July and August.

National Strawberry Week, just finished, included a promotional campaign to encourage consumers to enjoy more strawberries as we approach the summer season when crops are at peak production. Catherine Fulvio, of Ballyknocken Cookery School, in Co Wicklow, also came up with a number of strawberry-themed recipes.

Last year saw a bumper crop of strawberries and there are hopes 2010 will be even better, according to Jimmy Kearns, of Irish Soft Fruit Growers Association. As with most foods nowadays, strawberries are being promoted as a part of a healthy diet.

This all fits in with a report, prepared for Bord Bia, which says Ireland can develop a world-class food production industry by 2016 and set itself the goal of becoming the most efficient and most highly innovative food and drink country in the world.

The report, by Professor David Bell and Mary Shelman, of the Harvard Business School, says we are at an enviable starting point in the race to produce exactly the type of food that a growing number of consumers are demanding.

The need to meet the demands of consumers for healthy foods was also highlighted, recently by Stan McCarthy, chief executive of the Kerry Group, one of the world’s leading food companies. The origins and authenticity of food, as well as health and safety controls, had assumed far more importance in recent years, he pointed out.

What’s more, Mr McCarthy believes that situation will not change and that people may become even more demanding in relation to the safety and health qualities of the food they eat.

On the basis that food and drink can become our largest native industry, the Bord Bia report builds on our positive image as a food producer and closeness to the European market.

It recommends the setting of specific goals to be achieved by 2016, the creation of an umbrella brand for food and drink and the fostering of a climate of entrepreneurship. Using the working title “Come See Us: We’re Open for Inspection“, the vision is based on the promise that “we are natural and we can prove it”.

Ireland is a small player in the world food market and the report says Irish firms need to work together as partners, not as competitors. A single food chain, such as beef, dairy, or seafood, should work together as if it were one company in export markets, the report suggests.

It might sound corny, but our “green” image should also help, with our grass-based production system being a clear advantage. Our closeness to the European market means that we are open for inspection. Organic food production, meanwhile, also continues to attract interest. For instance, experts at a Bord Bia’s national organic conference reported the sale of organic foods in Ireland to be now worth €104 million, an 82% increase since 2006. Surprisingly, surveys show 45% of Irish grocery shoppers say they have purchased an organic product in the last month, a 20% increase since 2003.

Research also showed organic has exceptionally high recognition among food labels, with 91% of those surveyed stating they are familiar with the term, compared to 50% who are aware of the term “food miles”.

Bread, beef, preserves and cheese were highlighted among the organic produce most likely to increase in popularity over the coming years. But, the amount of land in Ireland turned over to organic production is still very low – the Government’s target is to convert 5% of our total acreage to organic production by 2012.