Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 15 October 2019
503. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the extent he expects the food sector to rely on high-quality products in order to retain competitiveness in various world markets; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42246/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe agri-food sector is Ireland’s most important indigenous industry, playing a vital role in Ireland’s economy.
Food Wise 2025, the current ten-year strategy for the agri-food sector identifies the opportunities and challenges facing the sector and provides an enabling strategy that will allow the sector to develop and prosper. Food Wise includes more than 400 specific recommendations, spread across the cross-cutting themes of sustainability, innovation, human capital, market development and competitiveness, as well as specific sectoral recommendations. If these recommendations are implemented, the expert committee which drew up the Food Wise 2025 Strategy believe that the ambitious growth projections were achievable by 2025, including increasing the value of agri-food exports by 85% to €19 billion; and creating 23,000 direct and indirect jobs all along the supply chain.
In July this year, I launched the fourth annual progress report of Food Wise 2025, Steps to Success 2019. This showed that by 2018 exports had increased by 19.9% and primary production by 13.3% compared to the baseline.
As of Q2 2019, of the 376 detailed actions which were due to commence by 2019 or are ongoing actions, 87% have been achieved or substantial action has been undertaken and the remaining 13% have commenced and are progressing well.
Some of the highlights of recent years include the development of supports for industry such as ‘Meat Technology Ireland’, the strategic research and innovation base for beef and sheep meat processing; the ‘VistaMilk SFI Research Centre’, focusing on innovative precision pasture-based dairying; and most recently the new ‘Prepared Consumer Food Centre’. All of these are contributing to creating Irish value-added agri-food products to keep Ireland competitive in the global food market.
Furthermore, the EU quality policy aims at protecting the names of specific products to promote their unique characteristics, linked to their geographical origin as well as traditional know-how. There is evidence that the granting of a “geographical indication” to a product (Protected Geographical Indication - PGI, Protected Designation of Origin - PDO & Traditional Specialties Guaranteed - TSG) can add value in the market place, providing an economic advantage for producers and for rural areas. The indications help to distinguish a product against competition.
Through these schemes, Ireland can build on its excellent global reputation as a producer of quality food. Ireland has several products registered and several other products are under consideration. My Department, along with relevant stakeholders, is currently working towards submitting an application to the EU Commission for Protected Geographical Indication status for Irish beef.
