State agencies ‘squeezed out’ IT companies

The two top private companies providing information technology services for farmers have sought the help of the EU’s directorate general for competition in their bid to retain business in the face of competition from State agencies.

Kingswood Computing and AgriNet say competition from Teagasc and ICBF has become the biggest challenge to their companies, and have called for better balance between public and private providers in the farm information technology sector.

They say there were six private companies operating in the farm software sector 10 years ago, but four have been “squeezed out”. Kingswood was the first company to sell farm management software to farmers. AgriNet dates from 1994.