One in eight Irish jobs linked to farming and food, claims IFA

ONE in every eight jobs in the Irish economy is linked to farming and the food and drinks sector, it was stated yesterday.

The Irish Farmers Association said the government can no longer stand back from the untold damage being inflicted on the country’s €18 billion food and drinks industry by retail wars which are geared only at delivering more profit for supermarkets.

Padraig Walshe, president, was responding to a report by Food and Drinks Industry Ireland, a business group within IBEC, which claimed the competitiveness of the sector has been damaged by a high business cost base and sterling depreciation.