Ireland's Minister for Agriculture Simon Coveney has said that he wants food exports from Ireland to hit €15 billion in the next ten years.
Announcing plans for a new strategy for the agri-food sector up to 2025 he sees the expansion achievable in a sensible and sustainable way. He says that the agri-food sector is already the biggest and most important sector in the Irish economy, employing 170,000 people and accounting for more that 10 per cent of merchandise exports.
As for the emissions targets being set by the supra-national bodies like the EU, the minister reckons that achieving the new growth is very doable. Maintaining the current carbon footprint or even reducing it by tweaking farming practices is the way to go.
The minster believes that the European commission recognises Ireland’s unique position, producing more than 10 times the food that would be necessary for its own population.
