IFA: Agri-food sector can contribute significantly to economic recovery

EXPORT earnings from the agri-food sector have the potential to grow by more than €2 billion, an increase of 29% on 2008, creating at least 16,000 new jobs in the next few years.

That’s the belief of the Irish Farmers’ Association as it proceeds with the planning for a major forum on the industry at the RDS on Tuesday.

IFA president Padraig Walshe said the farming and food industry continues to be a major driving force in the economy. As Ireland’s largest indigenous industry, it is the backbone of the rural and wider economy, supporting over 270,000 jobs and driving export earnings of over €8bn per annum.

The Irish agriculture sector, which is export-led with low import content, has the potential to increase output, export earnings and employment in the medium term and can contribute significantly to Ireland’s economic recovery.

Mr Walshe said food industry leaders are to the fore in innovation, marketing and adding value to the top-quality food produced on Irish farms.

Irish farmers are among the best and most efficient in the world and are ready and able to drive sustainable increases in production to meet the growing world food demand. The sophisticated service industries depending on farming and food themselves employ tens of thousands of people across the country.

Mr Walshe said: “With the right policies from Government, farming and food, and sectors closely related to the countryside, including tourism and green energy, have huge potential to help lead the recovery of the economy.”

He welcomed the strong support from all interests concerned for the IFA-organised Economic Forum, where farming and food industry leaders will chart a course for growth and recovery. Key messages from the forum leaders will be presented to the Cabinet as an action plan by the IFA.

The plan will highlight the importance and potential of the farming and food sector in helping economic recovery.

Industry leaders representing world-beating companies across the sector will address hundreds of agri-business people, Government and farming representatives at the one-day event. They will focus on setting out the vision and policies needed by the industry and the Government to support farm families and the agri-food sector so that their potential can be achieved.

Tom McCarthy of the Irish Management Institute is to co-ordinate the key messages from the forum into the action plan.

Speakers include Owen Killian, chief executive, Aryzta; Stan McCarthy, chief executive, Kerry Group; John Moloney, group managing director, Glanbia FBD and Dan McSweeney, chief executive, Carbery Group.

Others will include John Horgan, chairman and managing director, Kepak Group; Peter Queally, chairman, Queally Group; Andrew Langford, chief executive, FBD, and Gavin Duffy from the TV programme, Dragons Den.

Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Minister Brendan Smith will respond.