Agriculture students face points squeeze

MANY of the prospective students behind the flood of applications for agriculture courses are likely to lose out due to a shortage of places, it was claimed yesterday.

Figures from the Central Applications Office (CAO) published this week showed a 28% increase in agriculture-related courses in universities and institutes of technology — mirroring the 28% fall in the number of applications for construction-related courses.

However, the numbers seeking college places in agricultural and horticultural courses has been growing in recent years and it was claimed yesterday that few if any new places can be created this year.