Cereals sector threatened by cheap imports

THE survival of the indigenous Irish cereals sector is at stake because cheap grain imports from former Soviet Union countries are being allowed to flood the European Union market, the IFA warned yesterday.

Following a meeting with Department of Agriculture and Food officials, IFA Grain Committee chairman Paddy Harrington called on Minister Joe Walsh to act immediately on the crisis facing Irish and EU cereal farmers.

“The time for talking is over. The Minister must take action on the unprecedented income crisis facing cereal farmers and demand that the Commission bans cheap imported grain from flooding into the EU, undermining internal grain prices.