The Brussels sprout may not be everyone’s favourite vegetable, but its popularity got a major boost in the Irish parliament in Dublin last Friday, courtesy of horticulture minister Trevor Sargent.
The minister did not just urge people to eat more sprouts, praising their richness in calcium, vitamin C and protein - he also offered tips on how best to cook them. And the advice, he assured parliament, was based not on cookery books, but on “personal experience”.
Sargent, the former leader of the Irish Green Party, was reporting on an inspection of the Brussels sprout Christmas crop, most of which is located in his north Dublin constituency. He used the occasion to pay tribute to the growers, who, he said, “are working round the clock, 24/7 - indeed, 24/14 - in the fortnight before Christmas”.
One of those playing host to the minister was Enda Weldon, who farms 200 acres of Brussels sprouts in Swords and is one of the largest growers in a sector that is worth around €2 million (£1.44m).
“Twenty years ago,” he says, “growers would have been into mixed veg, with a couple of acres of sprouts for the Christmas market. But that’s no longer possible, as supermarkets want continuity of supply.” His customers include Tesco, Dunnes Stores and Aldi, with the farm producing 400-500 tonnes of pre-packed sprouts a week in the two-week run-up to Christmas.
With help from breeders in Holland and north Belgium, Weldon grows 22 varieties of sprout on the farm. Planting starts in March, with harvesting from mid-August. He employs 12 full-time staff, producing 40-50t a week during the season, with another 40 part-timers during the Christmas peak period.
Weldon said: “Sargent has a passion about horticulture. He listens to us, empathises with us and knows what he’s talking about. He’s very popular with growers and we’re hopeful that he can achieve a lot for the industry.”
