Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 17 February 2022
333. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his attention has been drawn to the exit from the horticultural industry of many vegetables growers; the extent to which this trend is being monitored; his plans to address the matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8927/22]
View answerI am very aware of the challenges being currently faced across the horticulture industry. A rise in input costs has affected all of the various horticulture sectors with energy and fertiliser experiencing the biggest rise in costs. The increase in input costs coupled with stagnant prices has resulted in a situation where a small number of field vegetable growers have recently made the decision to leave this sector as they feel it has become economically unsustainable to continue. My Department is monitoring the current situation.
Through the Horticulture Industry Forum, my Department continues to work with the horticulture sector on some of the key issues that face this industry, including labour availability, increase in input costs and achieving sustainable prices for Irish produce. Minister of State for Horticulture Pippa Hackett, has recently commissioned a report on the horticulture industry. This report is due to be published at the end of March and aims to address the key issues currently being experienced by growers and to identify opportunities that exist to improve the outlook for this industry as a whole. It will provide a benchmark and a basis from which we can develop a new strategy for the sector.
I want to reassure the Deputy of my continued support for horticulture growers through the scheme of investment aid for the development of the commercial horticulture sector (current budget of €9 million), and also via the EU Producer Organisation scheme for fruit and vegetables.
