IEA welcome plan to merge Bord Glas

THE decision by the Government to merge Bord Glas, the horticultural development authority, with Bord Bia, which markets Irish food and drinks world wide, was welcomed by the Irish Exporters Association.

It noted that Bord Bia is taking over the market development and promotion of the horticultural industry at a time of falling exports in the sector.

John Whelan, IEA chief executive, said the value of Ireland’s edible horticultural output in 2002 was estimated at €223 million, down 2% on the prior year.

But the weakness in the sector was even more evident in the continued rapid growth in imports of fruit and vegetables which amounted to €613 million in 2002, up 9% on the previous year.

“Bord Glas has developed the produce for the market. However, with the broader resources of Bord Bia, the market for the product must now be more aggressively developed,” he said.

Mr Whelan said the merger of Bord Glas into Bord Bia is an overdue measure by the Government. There were endless possibilities for relationship building in the market.

These were between the normal Irish food range promoted to the retail multiples by Bord Bia, and the mushrooms, potatoes and glasshouse crops in the Bord Glas portfolio.