Charlie McConalogue
Ceist:1687. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the progress made on targets to increase fish exports in volume and value terms as per Foodwise 2025. [28460/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraTuesday, 20 June 2017
Ceisteanna (1687)
Freagraí scríofa
While Food Harvest 2020 included a target for total seafood sales of €1 billion by 2020 (export and domestic), Food Wise 2025 does not include a specific export growth (or total sales) target for seafood.
Seafood exports grew by 52% in value terms between 2010 and 2016, from €370 million to €563 million. Exports decreased by 2% in 2016, arising from a volume decrease of 21%, which was offset by an average increase in unit price of 24%, demonstrating the on-going strength of demand in most key markets. Total seafood sales, including domestic sales of €350 million, were €913 million in 2016, indicating a positive outlook for achievement of the 2020 Food Harvest target of €1 billion in sales.
My Department's €240 million European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF) Operational Programme was launched in 2016. That Programme includes a number of key initiatives to foster the growth of seafood sales and to enhance the value added from our fish stocks. The EMFF Programme is providing €5 million to Bord Bia to enhance its existing seafood promotion work programme, while the Programme is providing €24 million to Bord Iascaigh Mhara to deliver a suite of support schemes to the seafood processing sector. A Seafood Innovation & Business Planning Scheme supports new product development and other innovation initiatives, together with supports for business planning and market research. A Seafood Scaling & New Market Development Scheme supports seafood processors to work collectively to develop new markets and route to market structures. A Seafood Processing Capital Investment Scheme supports capital investment by seafood processors in equipment and premises to enhance the value of seafood raw material through value added processing.