Food firms given £2.8m grant boost

Eight food firms in the North have been given a cash injection from Europe worth almost £2.8m (€4m) to expand and modernise their operations, it emerged today.

It is believed up to 91 new jobs will be created after the food processors were given a share of funds drawn from the EU’s Agricultural Processing and Marketing Scheme and Invest Northern Ireland.

Three companies will receive grants of £571,429 (€832,000).

Grampian Country Pork in Cookstown will use the funds to modernise its pig meat processing plant. The grant to Kelly Flowers in Lisburn will go towards the construction of flower and pot plant processing facilities.

Moy Park in Dungannon has received the same sum to modernise its poultry meat plant.

Stratroy Dairy in Omagh was given £563,458 (€820,000) to expand and modernise its milk processing plant. Five Pac Ltd in Belfast will use the £234,664 (€341,000) it has received for fruit and vegetable processing.

McGrane Nurseries in Tandragee will receive £95,632 (€140,000) for the expansion of its pot plant processing facilities.

Glenview Foods in Ballycastle will secure £93,633 (€137,000) for the modernisation and expansion of its potato and vegetable processing plant.

Chapman Foods in Portadown has been given £87,976 (€128,000) to upgrade its apple processing facilities.

Northern Ireland Office Agriculture Minister Lord Rooker said the grants showed the continuing emphasis on innovation and market development by local processors and would have spin-offs for the farming community.

“The projects assessed continue to be of a high quality and the new investments will further enhance the competitiveness of the industry and provide a sustainable benefit to primary producers,” he said.

“In addition, these projects are estimated to create a further 91 jobs and should safeguard existing jobs as the project applicants currently employ a cumulative total of 1,680 staff.”