'Radical changes' needed to save horticulture sector

The Irish horticultural sector is under severe pressure due to market challenges, input costs, and longstanding issues such as labour and land availability.

"Radical changes" are needed to save Ireland's horticultural sector, the Irish Farmers' Association has said.

The IFA has announced that it will hold a national horticulture meeting.

The meeting will address the major challenges in the horticulture sector with guest speakers from Teagasc, Bord Bia, and the Department of Agriculture on the night.

The Irish horticultural sector is under severe pressure due to market challenges, input costs, and longstanding issues such as labour and land availability.

These issues must be addressed, or the consolidation of growers will inevitably continue, the IFA has stressed.

Growers lost

"We have lost key growers from our industry in the past two years; it is projected that the area of field vegetables will contract by a minimum of 7% again this year. This downward trajectory cannot continue," Niall McCormack, IFA fruit and vegetable chairman said.

"On one hand we have Government looking to foster and expand our sustainable horticultural sector, yet, unless radical changes are made, the reality is that our sector will continue to contract resulting in the loss of family farms.

"The unprecedented wet spring to date has resulted in additional challenges and delays for growers. 

"The importance of underpinning our domestic Irish production has never been as important following recent shortages of certain products and the emphasis on food security."

All growers are encouraged to attend the meeting on Tuesday, April 25, at 8pm in the CityNorth Hotel, Gormanston, Co Meath.