With the Irish Government looking at the possibility of extending the special aid measures to be provided for the border region to the mushroom sector, one year on from the Task Force being set up, the spotlight is once again on survival for the mushroom sector in the Republic and consequently in the North too.
The Task Force was established this time last year and concluded its report in May 2004 (links to the report are available in themushroompeople.com website); it outlined a series of actions which were deemed necessary to ensure the future viability of the sector.
Supply contracts between producer organisations and marketing companies, compost supplies and cost reduction measures, marketing and promotion programmes, training, advisory and research measures and environmental issues constituted the main thrust of the reports recommendations.
Given that the number of growers has now fallen to less than 200 and mushroom output is also falling in the face of very strong competition, minister Smith's stated confidence in the remaining core of the industry might well be seen as optimistic.
“Despite the current difficulties I am confident that we have a mushroom sector which has the scale of operation and the highest standards of quality, safety and supply consistency which are key factors in meeting competition in the market place” said the Minister.
Minister Smith said that his Department had paid out over €6.5 million to mushroom growers through the EU Producer Organisation Scheme and the NDP scheme for capital investment in 2004. “Progressive mushroom growers will again receive favourable consideration under the 2005 NDP horticulture scheme while the benefits of belonging to a Producer Organisation cannot be overstated."
He said that the mushroom industry was a shining example of co-operation and networking by growers, suppliers and marketing companies on each side of the border. “With most of the mushroom production in the northern half of the country I believe that this industry is deserving of the special aid measures which are provided for the border region and I will be progressing this matter further”.
Any growers looking to survive had better make sure they come under the banner of "progressive" it would seem.
