The Government has awarded funding of €70m between 22 projects put forward by Ireland’s meat and dairy processors under the Capital Investment Scheme for the Processing and Marketing of Agricultural Products.

The scheme was initiated to help businesses adapt to post-Brexit conditions.

This €70m investment is part of the €100m scheme first announced in December last year. A further call for applications under the scheme is expected at a later date.

The investment was announced by Tánaiste Leo Varadkar and Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue on Tuesday.

Funding allocated

Some of the agri-food sector’s largest food processors have received funding under the scheme.

Dawn Meats Ireland has received a total of €10m for “capital enhancements” to facilities at Mayo, Cork, Waterford, Westmeath and Laois.

Kepak received funding of over €6m for “investment to support market diversification” in sites at Westmeath, Monaghan and Cork.

Glanbia Ireland secured over €4.1m through the scheme for “capital investment” at Ballyragget, Co. Kilkenny.

Other processors who have received funding today through the scheme include: Dawn Farm Foods (€5m), Dairygold Co-Operative Society Ltd (€4.7m), Slaney Foods (€2m), Tipperary Co Operative Creamery (€600,000), McCarren Meats (€4m), Glenisk (€491,310), Silver Hill Foods (€5m), Henry Denny & Sons (€5m), Donegal Meat Processors (€2.4m), Liffey Meats (€5m), T O’Regan & Sons (€5m), Kerrygold Butter Packing (€5m), Bandon Vale Cheese (€5m) and Moyvalley Meats (€749,416).

More resilient and sustainable businesses

Government claims the €70m investment “will help farmers and those working in food production to diversify their offering” and “attract new markets and customers”. It has been designated “to help make the food processing businesses more resilient and sustainable into the long-term”.

Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Leo Varadkar said: “This is a major investment in our agri-food industry which is the lifeblood of rural Ireland. It’s all about helping the industry to develop and diversify by moving up the value chain and gaining access to new markets including Asia and North America. It will benefit farmers and the wider industry.

“This €70m funding will go directly to food producers and processors in the meat and dairy sectors to help them diversify and win new customers post-Brexit. It will also help them prepare for a low carbon future, given our commitments on climate.”

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue said: “New product development and market diversification go hand-in-hand.

He said the investment will “assist the sector expand current markets and increase sales of higher value-add products in the global marketplace”.

CEO of Enterprise Ireland Leo Clancy also supported the investment.

He said the scheme is supporting 22 strategic projects in making investments of over €266m across regional and rural Ireland and that the agri-food sector has to increasingly “focus on sustainability, competitiveness and innovation”.

He claimed the funding allocated today will help achieve these goals.