Research key to food output expansion, conference told

Carefully planned food output expansion can be achieved with minimal environmental impact, according to beef sector leaders from the US and Brazil, a country which has quadrupled its beef exports in the past 10 years.

Addressing yesterday’s Agricultural Science Association annual conference in Druids Glen, Co Wicklow, Mauricio Lopes, executive director of the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation, outlined Brazil’s rise in agri-food exports, from €19bn in 2001 to €76bn in 2011.

Dr Lopes outlined how a strong focus on research and development has resulted in yield increases of 60% to 200% in recent decades. Brazilian agricultural output reached almost €400bn last year, of which 20% was exported to 180 markets worldwide.