IFA seeks payment for beet growers

THE Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) believes there is an open and shut case for the payment of substantial compensation to sugar beet growers following the extinction of the Irish sugar industry.

On the eve of a ministerial announcement of EU compensation for the shutdown of the Irish sugar beet industry, IFA President Padraig Walshe said events of the past week proved the IFA case for compensation to be paid to beet growers.

Mr Walshe said it would be a scandal if developers, British investors and Greencore management were to be rewarded for asset stripping while the livelihoods of the country’s 3,700 beet growers were destroyed.

“The Greencore plan to exit the industry was highly irregular and completely failed to meet the criteria laid down by the EU regulation.

“There was no public scrutiny of the Greencore figures and, unlike all public contracts, there was no tender process for the so-called remedial works on the Carlow and Mallow sites,” he added.

He said the whole process was flawed.

Mr Walshe said there were also avenues open to the IFA and farmers to seek redress if they were dissatisfied with the outcome, including bringing the case to the European Commission.

The IFA president said it was inconceivable that the European Commission would stand over payments to Greencore that would enhance their position for shutting down the industry.

IFA sugar beet chairman Peadar Jordan said the premature closure of the Carlow factory left a bitter taste in farmers’ mouths.