Energy crops ‘a new opportunity’

ENERGY crops were a new opportunity for farmers, particularly those who have previously grown sugar beet, Agriculture and Food Minister Mary Coughlan declared during a day-long visit to Cork north-west yesterday.

“I have long been of the view, however, that farmers could only be expected to produce energy crops for biofuels if there was a good economic return,” she said.

Ms Coughlan said the introduction of an €80 national top-up to the €45 per hectare energy crop premium would be a significant benefit to farmers who choose to grow energy crops.