Coveney keen to revive sugar beet industry despite department cuts

THE prospects for reviving the sugar beet industry received a boost at the Agricultural Science Association annual conference in Maynooth yesterday.

Agriculture Minister Simon Coveney, responding to questions, said the figures he had seen to date from the first of two feasibility studies are “very persuasive”.

He said he strongly supports the European Commission proposals to end sugar quotas by 2016.

“You won’t see a stronger supporter than me of a revival of the sugar industry, if it makes commercial sense,” he said.

Mr Coveney told the conference there is a collective recognition that the €24 billion agri food industry can be the driver and, in his opinion, the main driver of national economic recovery.

“One of the great things about this industry at the moment is that we are all working off the same page. Everybody is buying into the Food Harvest targets, principles and drive behind it, and for growth and expansion,” he said.

Referring to the upcoming budget, Mr Coveney said he had been asked to make savings of €200m in his department. That may not be the final figure but it is the starting point.

“My priorities about where we will spend the money will be guided by two principles.

“The first is a consistent approach towards Food Harvest 2020 and facilitating growth and expansion. The second priority, equally important, is about keeping farmers on the land in areas of less opportunity so they can benefit from the strong market, strong prices and strong yields,” he said.

Irish Farmers Association president John Bryan told the conference the latest European Commission leaked proposal to introduce a new single farm entitlement system commencing in 2014, combined with last month’s proposal to move to flat rate payments by 2019, makes no sense whatsoever and cannot be allowed to happen.

“A system based on a future reference date is deeply flawed and unworkable as it will totally undermine productive farmers who have invested heavily in developing their businesses,” he said.