Sargent to give €4m in grants
Wednesday February 03 2010
THE Department of Agriculture, Fisheries & Food contributed a total of €8 million to 220 horticulture producers in 2008 and 2009, supporting investment of some €20 million, Minister of State Trevor Sargent told the Dáil.
Speaking during Question Time, he said this year he is providing a further grant package of € 4 million which will fund projects to the investment value of some € 10 million.
'Under the previous scheme, which was operated under the national development plan for 2000-06, grant aid amounting to € 18.5 million was paid to 656 producers which supported investment of € 53 million,' he said. He said producers concentrate for the most part on supplying the home market. The EU prohibits supports which are targeted at import substitution.
'It should also be noted that two sectors of Irish horticulture, in particular, are important sources of foreign revenue,' he said. 'The vast bulk of mushroom production is exported to the UK and almost all non-food horticultural products, for example, nursery stock, cut foliage, bulbs, flowers and Christmas trees are also exported, mainly to the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland. Further aid for the sector is also available under the capital investment scheme for the marketing and processing of agricultural products and, in addition, producers can also benefit from EU aid under the producer organisation scheme.'
