Ireland’s new horticulture minister Ciaran Cuffe has handed out €3.8 milllion (£3.27m) in grower grants.
He said the volcanic ash crisis has underscored the importance of locally produced fruit and vegetables and that the grants package for the industry would help fund producers’ on-farm capital investments of some €9.6m. The grants cover all areas of production, including mushrooms, protected crops, nursery crops, field vegetables, soft fruit and apples.
Cuffe said: “We should all be encouraged by the level of confidence shown by producers in their own businesses, as demonstrated by the number of very worthwhile projects seeking assistance under the grants scheme. The importance of having locally produced fruit and vegetables was brought home to us when the volcanic ash prevented air travel and interrupted trade in highly perishable products that are normally air freighted from around the world.”
He pointed out that Irish horticultural output is valued at over €300m annually. It provides employment for 10,000 workers and has retail sales worth around €650m. Consumers should support locally grown fresh fruit and vegetables. By doing so, they were helping the environment through reducing transport and storage costs and also making an investment in their local community.
Earlier the minister had urged more farmers to switch to organic, pointing out that despite the recession, demand for organic food was increasing, with the Irish retail market worth €124m last year, compared to €66m in 2006. State supports for those making the switch, he said, meant that an average sized farm of 32ha could receive payments of €6,784 a year for the first two years and €3,392 a year for a further three years.
For smaller horticulture units of up to six hectares, the payments rates were €283/ha initially and €142/ha in the third and subsequent years. “These payments are attractive,” said the minister, “particularly given that a farmer does not have to convert his or her entire holding to organic status, which allows new entrants to explore the possibilities of the organic sector without having to make a total commitment.”
