Department of Agriculture announces Aid of €4.1 Million for Irish Horticulture Producers

Shane McEntee, Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, has announced a grant aid package of €4.1 million under the 2011 Scheme of Investment Aid for the Development of the Commercial Horticulture Sector that is funded by the National Development Plan (2007-2013).

The package will provide grants to 157 horticultural producers to assist in funding capital investments in specialist new equipment and facilities. The grant aid covers all areas of the horticultural industry - including field vegetables, mushrooms, protected crops, nursery crops, soft fruits/apples, cut foliage and bee-keeping/others - and will assist in funding investments of approximately €10.2 million between now and the end of the year.

Minister of State McEntee said “It’s most encouraging to see the level of confidence that currently exists within the horticulture sector as demonstrated by the number of high quality projects that have sought assistance under the Scheme. This is further evidence of the potential that exists within the Irish agri-food industry”.

The horticulture industry experienced a very difficult year in 2010 due to the unprecedented severe weather conditions which in many cases were coupled with strong downward price pressure from the retail trade. He stated that “I am pleased to be able to allocate grant assistance to projects which provide protection against severe weather and also to meet a number of the recommendations in Harvest 2020, in particular in relation to product and production innovation and also in relation to the uptake of green technology”.

The Minister continued by stating that despite short-term difficulties, it was vital for the industry to continue investment in order to meet the competitive pressures the industry currently faces. These pressures arise in particular from high input costs, competitively priced imports, lack of scale and limited development in innovation.  Pointing out the value of the sector and its contribution to the economy, the Minister highlighted that, “the Irish horticulture industry contributed an estimated €280 million to the value of agricultural output in 2010 and provides, both directly and indirectly, an estimated 5,000 jobs nationally with many further jobs being generated in distribution, processing and marketing. It’s vital that the industry receives the support it requires to allow it maintain and further increase its contribution to the Irish economy”.

Minister McEntee urged the public to check Country of Origin each time they purchase fresh fruit, vegetables or plants. “By seeking Irish origin produce we are supporting Irish producers, Irish jobs and making the strongest contribution to the Irish economy while also getting excellent value for money through the purchase of high quality products that have been produced and delivered with minimal impact on the environment” he said.

The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine undertakes a variety of functions including:

Policy advice and development on all areas of Departmental responsibility.

Representation in international especially EU and national negotiations.

Development and implementation of national and EU schemes in support of Agriculture, Food, Fisheries, Forestry and Rural Environment.

Monitoring and controlling aspects of Food Safety.

Control and audit of public expenditure under its control.

Regulation of the agriculture, fisheries, and food industries through national and EU legislation.

Monitoring and controlling animal and plant health and animal welfare.

Monitoring and direction of State Bodies engaged in the following areas - research training and advice - market development and promotion- industry regulation and development- commercial activities.

Direct provision of support services to Agriculture, Fisheries, Food and Forestry

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LocalMarkets.ie Celebrates National Launch !

Online Irish Food Producer Marketplace Goes National!

An innovative online retail business, that offers customers the convenience of having premium quality food delivered to their own home, is celebrating the launch of its new nationwide service.

 LocalMarkets.ie, a Cork-based business that was established last year, aims to help consumers throughout Ireland connect with the thriving local producer food scene – even if the pressure of their daily lives means they don’t have time to regularly visit their much-loved local farmers’ market or favourite local producer!

The company’s delivery service, which initially extended across Cork city and county, has now been expanded to include the entire 32 counties. Founder of LocalMarkets.ie, Rory McCann, says it’s a decision that’s been driven by repeat requests from prospective customers:

“The decision to go national had always been part of our long-term business plan, but with the number of queries coming in we decided that we couldn’t delay the launch of our nationwide service any longer. Commuters, rural-dwellers, busy parents and those following gluten-free or other special diets, have been especially keen to see the website go national. There’s certainly a substantial number of people out there who are eager to shop for authentic local Irish food, but because of their location or hectic lifestyles, some food enthusiasts just don’t get an opportunity to visit their local market, producer or specialty delicatessen. For these people, a site like LocalMarkets.ie is the ideal way to support Irish producers and the most convenient way to enjoy superior quality food”.

The English Market in Cork

Much of the food available on LocalMarkets.ie is offered by producers who operate stalls and retail outlets in Cork’s renowned English Market as well as from Mahon Point Farmers’ Market (voted Best Farmers’ Market in Ireland 2010 by Good Food Ireland and The Bridgestone Guide). As the website grows in popularity, it’s expected that more producers from all parts of Ireland will begin to utilise the website in order to sell their fresh fish, smoked fish, premium meat cuts, charcuterie, cheese, condiments, baked goods and much more, to a wider, national customer base.

A Larger Selection of Irish Cheeses

According to McCann, LocalMarkets.ie is not a traditional retail website, but is styled along the lines of a food ‘movement’.

“Before a new product becomes available on LocalMarkets.ie, we like to know that its producers share our philosophy – that truly great food is only created by taking the time to use the very best ingredients and the very highest standard of food production techniques. We’re passionate about local food and we believe that sustainable food production and offering producers sustainable profit margins are important aspects of encouraging growth in Ireland’s valuable food sector."

Fresh Fish Every Day

"It’s also why we represent producers at outdoor events and food markets, particularly when the logistics of reaching a faraway venue or staffing an additional food stall pose difficulty for a small food business that may have limited resources. It’s a broad and novel approach to business, but so far we’ve been bowled over by the positive response – from both producers and consumers”, he explains.

Gluten-free and many other types of Bread

“We’re not just a retail website. We have an ethos that’s not too far from a traditional co-op approach. We’re passionate about local food and we believe that sustainable food production and offering producers sustainable profit margins are important aspects of encouraging growth in Ireland’s valuable food sector. It’s also why we represent producers at outdoor events and food markets, particularly when the logistics of reaching a far away venue or staffing an additional food stall pose difficulty for a small food business that may have limited resources. It’s a broad and novel approach to business, but so far we’ve been bowled over by the positive response – from both producers and consumers”, he explains.

Fresh Vegetables to your Door!

Irish foodies who are interested in finding out more about the food movement, or availing of the new nationwide delivery service, can log on to www.LocalMarkets.ie, where they can create a user account.

Once registered with the website, customers can browse product sections by category (e.g. by food product, by producer/food label etc.), collect reward points and use the website’s convenient re-ordering service for their favourite products.

Producers who would like to sell their produce via the LocalMarkets.ie website, are invited to register their interest by emailing info@localmarkets.ie

Don't forget to feed the fish at the bottom of this post!

zack