The Irish Times carried a big article on page 2 on May 29 about the mushroom industry. Accompanying the article was a large photograph of Peter Dooney from Ballybay in Monaghan, looking suitably concerned overlooking an impressive flush! The headline said it all – " Strong Euro Threatens Mushroom Industry".
Pointing to mushroom production as "the success story of Irish horticulture" the piece opined the doom-laden prognosis for the industry, that thousands of jobs are threatened by both the strength of the euro and a supermarket price war in Britain.
Focussing on grower Peter Dooney it stated that the rise in the euro has reduced his unit's income by about €8,000 a month – no small amount!
"The situation is fairly drastic. We're in a very tight break –even situation at the moment. But if the euro gets any stronger then we'll have no option but to borrow or close down."
