June 25, 2014
Report: Irish agri-food sector 5th most innovative in EU
According to a new report by researchers from University College Dublin, the Irish agri-food sector is the 5th most innovative in the EU behind Denmark, Finland, Germany and the Netherlands.
The Innovation in the Irish Agrifood Sector report also says the most innovative farmers in Ireland tended to have higher incomes, larger farms and invest more, while being younger in age and less dependent on subsidies.
The study identified several barriers to innovation, including the structure of farm businesses and a lack of land mobility.
The report is based on interviews with stakeholders from the agribusiness sector and analyses of data from Eurostat, the OECD, and the Teagasc National Farm Survey.
