Questions over whether Food Wise 2025 targets should be reviewed given the threat of Brexit to Irish trade have been batted down by Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed.
“I think never was it more important to have plan,” Minister Creed stated at a committee meeting on agriculture on Thursday.
“We’ve been on a remarkable trajectory of growth…it’s not time to fly the white flag.”
Creed added that if Ireland were to reduce their global trade ambitions, other countries would leap at the chance to occupy shelf space currently held by Irish products.
The Food Wise 2025 plan was set out in 2015 and identifies a number of ambitious goals for the industry including:
85% increase in exports to €19bn.70% increase in value added to €13bn.60% increase in primary production to €10bn.The creation of 23,000 additional jobs all along the supply chain from producer level to high end value added product development.The plan builds on the success of Food Harvest 2020, which set out a target for the Irish milk pool to reach 7.6bn litres by 2020.
Last year, Ireland produced up to 7bn litres of milk, which means the industry is likely to achieve their Food Harvest target figure well in advance of the 2020 deadline.
However, questions have been raised over the continued expansion of the dairy industry under Food Wise 2025, as labour shortages hit farms and many farmers struggle to manage increased herd sizes.
There is also the added worry of Brexit, and the uncertainty of trade relation between Ireland and her nearest trading partner.
Read more
CAP 2020 meets Food Wise 2025
Agriculture sector prioritised in work permit review
Questions over whether Food Wise 2025 targets should be reviewed given the threat of Brexit to Irish trade have been batted down by Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed.
“I think never was it more important to have plan,” Minister Creed stated at a committee meeting on agriculture on Thursday.
“We’ve been on a remarkable trajectory of growth…it’s not time to fly the white flag.”
Creed added that if Ireland were to reduce their global trade ambitions, other countries would leap at the chance to occupy shelf space currently held by Irish products.
The Food Wise 2025 plan was set out in 2015 and identifies a number of ambitious goals for the industry including:
85% increase in exports to €19bn.70% increase in value added to €13bn.60% increase in primary production to €10bn.The creation of 23,000 additional jobs all along the supply chain from producer level to high end value added product development.The plan builds on the success of Food Harvest 2020, which set out a target for the Irish milk pool to reach 7.6bn litres by 2020.
Last year, Ireland produced up to 7bn litres of milk, which means the industry is likely to achieve their Food Harvest target figure well in advance of the 2020 deadline.
However, questions have been raised over the continued expansion of the dairy industry under Food Wise 2025, as labour shortages hit farms and many farmers struggle to manage increased herd sizes.
There is also the added worry of Brexit, and the uncertainty of trade relation between Ireland and her nearest trading partner.
Read more
CAP 2020 meets Food Wise 2025
Agriculture sector prioritised in work permit review
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