A new State plan has been unveiled which will seek to double the size of the Irish food and drink export sector by 2025.
The ten-year blueprint, called Food Wise 2025, is aiming to increase exports from €10 billion to €19 billion by major expansions in the dairy, beef and seafood markets.
As reported in the Irish Times, the plan was devised by a team of 35 agricultural specialists over eight months. Some 23,000 jobs will be created out of the initiative.
The Food Wise 2025 programme draws special attention to the areas of sustainability, environmental impact and farm profitability. IFA president Eddie Downey said that growth in the agri-food sector is dependent on farms seeing increased profits.
“Meeting the ambitious target of €19 billion in food exports by 2025 will depend on improved farm profitability. Without better farm incomes, farmers will not increase production to meet these targets,” said Downey.
