Farmers ‘slow to exploit energy crops’

FARMERS, processors and the Government have all been extremely slow to exploit the opportunity of bio-energy crops, according to Fine Gael.

Denis Naughten TD, the party’s agriculture and food spokesperson, said farmers are extremely concerned about their future income sources.

The failure of farm incomes to keep pace with the average industrial wage, competition from countries with cheaper production costs, and the demise of the sugar beet industry have all added to the gloom in the industry.