Think globally, grow locally

PLEASE allow me to add something to your excellent editorial (July 25) urging support for those promoting local produce.

While I was addressing the amenity horticulture sector at the Kildare Growers Trade Show in Naas on July 24, I urged more people to become involved in growing local produce because some types of Irish-grown fruit and vegetables are in short supply.

For example, not enough Irish-grown tomatoes are available to meet demand. Likewise with onions, many of which are imported from Chile or garlic which comes from China or scallions from Mexico or mange tout peas from Kenya.

Similarly, we import large quantities of pears, plums and apples, all of which grow perfectly well in Ireland.

However, these vital crops will not plant, weed and harvest themselves. Irish farmers need an adequate return on the work and energy involved in import substitution.

Sadly, the price paid to the farmer by some of the largest multiples is a very low percentage of what the customer eventually pays.

This has caused many farmers to give up growing.

Unreasonable consumer demands for fruit and vegetables out of season also make it impossible for Irish farmers to satisfy the market.

Thank goodness for the increasing number of genuine farmers’ markets where a grower can get a proper price for produce sold fresh and direct at a reasonable price to the customer.

Thank goodness for go-ahead gardeners who are growing more Irish radishes, tomatoes, asparagus, peas and beans, onions and garlic, pears, plums and apples, for example.

With the sale of vegetable seed in garden centres likely to outstrip the sale of flower seed this year for the first time, there are more gardeners now who appreciate the planning, care and work that goes to produce healthy local produce.

The real question is, do the retail middlemen appreciate that there will be fewer farmers with the skills needed to produce the volume of fresh produce required unless the price percentage going to the farmer is enough to stay in farming and to interest his or her children to continue in farming?

Trevor Sargent TD

Minister for Food and Horticulture

Dáil Eireann

Baile Atha Cliath, 2