Agri-sector must ‘prepare for change’

TAOISEACH Bertie Ahern has urged the agriculture and food sectors to prepare for a more competitive and challenging environment that will also offer greater opportunities.

He also predicted that resources for agriculture in Europe will remain strong until 2013, but after that he felt they would not be the same level of funding. Mr Ahern said it worried him that people kept ignoring that prospect. They should not give the view that the present level of resources will continue into the distant future.

“I continually warn of it because I do not see these kind of resources retaining for agriculture in Europe and that is the real concern,” he said.