July 20, 2010

Irish agriculture exports may grow by US$18.22 billion

The Irish government sees its agricultural exports to grow by GBP12 billion (US$18.22 billion) in the next 10 years.

The massive increase would be a 42-piece jump on export values over the last two years and would help economic growth, according to the 'Food Harvest 2020' report, which was launched yesterday.

Also, the value of primary output products-such as raw meat or milk-could jump by GBP1.5 billion (US$2.28 billion) and "value added" products-such as yoghurt or processed meat-could increase by GBP3 billion (US$4.55 billion). The report looked at fisheries, food and agriculture.

"We've got to get away from this idea that agriculture is a receding part of our economic life," Taoiseach Brian Cowen said at the report's launch yesterday.

Agricultural food and fisheries is Ireland's largest indigenous industry, employing 150,000 people with an annual output of over GBP24 billion (US$36.43 billion).

The implementation of the report-which contains 209 recommendations-will not be supported by new spending but instead by a reallocation of existing funds.