In 2024, there have been over 1.4m crataegus (hawthorn/whitethorn) plants imported into Ireland from within the European Union (EU).
This is according to figures from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM), which state that up to the end of July 2024, 1,470,312 crataegus (hawthorn/whitethorn) plants were imported into Ireland.
When compared to 2023 figures, this year’s cumulative total of Crataegus (hawthorn/whitethorn) plants imported are far ahead of the total imported last year, which was 1,346,262.
This due to the removal of the requirement to meet the “Irish Provenance or Irish Origin requirement” when purchasing whitethorn hedging plants under the Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES).
An increase in imports was seen in particular during the period from December 8 to December 31, 2023, when a total of 340,007 Crataegus plants were imported into Ireland from within the EU.
The department said that this change in ACRES related to whitethorn species only and does not apply to the other seven hedgerow species listed in the “Planting a New Hedgerow” action under ACRES.
DAFM said that the amendment applies to both tranches of ACRES and non-productive investments (NPIs).
Earlier this year, the department stated that where participants were unable to source adequate quantities of suitable hedgerow and tree plants to fully satisfy their ACRES Tranche 1 commitments, an extension was granted to the establishment deadline.
Participants have until March 31, 2025 to establish their hedgerows and trees as set out in the specification document for each of the actions above.
All ACRES Tranche 1 commitments for these actions must be fully satisfied by March 31, 2025.
This amendment only applies to the ACRES Tranche 1 specification for the following actions:
- Planting a new hedgerow;
- Planting a traditional orchard;
- Planting trees in riparian buffer zones;
- Tree belts for ammonia capture from farmyards;
- Tree planting.