Growers 'not in financial position to survive year ahead' without support

IFA president Francie Gorman has called on all players in the food chain, big retailers in particular, to engage with their suppliers of Irish fruit and vegetables.

Fruit and vegetable growers are "not in a financial position to survive the year ahead" unless financial supports are put in place, the Irish Farmers' Association has warned.

IFA president Francie Gorman has called on all players in the food chain, big retailers in particular, to engage with their suppliers of Irish fruit and vegetables to ensure they can remain financially viable and overcome the current crisis being caused by the adverse wet weather conditions.

“Growers of fruit and field vegetables in particular are under intense pressure due to the continued challenging weather conditions,” Mr Gorman said.

“Field work remains at a standstill in most parts of the country where horticulture growers operate, and 2024 spring has seen below average sunlight levels delaying glasshouse and polytunnel production by several weeks."

'Worst possible footing'

IFA fruit and vegetable chairman Niall McCormack said that 2024 has started on the "worst possible weather footing", with delays in planting all field vegetables and potatoes.

“Wet weather-induced delays will mean growers have less crops to sell to their customers in the peak summer and autumn harvest months and less income as a result," Mr McCormack said.

“Many growers are not in a financial position to survive the year ahead unless their end customers step up and put in financial supports to ensure they can remain in business."

Supplementary payment

Mr McCormack is urging all retailers to put in place a 2024 weather supplementary payment on every punnet of fruit, kilo of carrots, bag of potatoes, and head of lettuce that is supplied in 2024. 

Without this commitment of additional financial support, many growers are facing disaster, he said.

“We have seen grower numbers decline every year due to the low margins of growing horticulture food crops and without immediate support, the sector could decline beyond saving this year," Mr McCormack added.