More than €14 million has been allocated in Budget 2024 towards the National Strategy for Horticulture.
Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM), Pippa Hackett confirmed the allocation of a total package of €14.35 million.
Of this, €3 million has been allocated to provide advance payments to producer organisations under the EU-funded scheme for the fruit and vegetables sector.
The National Strategy for Horticulture 2023-2027 provides a roadmap for the horticulture industry and was one of the recommendations in the Food Vision 2030 policy document.
The aim is that the implementation of eight ‘Key Strategic Actions’ will drive change and growth across all the horticulture industry’s sub sectors and lead to environmental, economic and social sustainability.
Organics in Budget 2024
Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue also made provision within his department’s budget for the Organic Farming Scheme (OFS).
The scheme provides financial support to farmers to encourage production of organic foods.
To be eligible for payment you must:
- Produce livestock and crop products according to European Union organic standards;
- Complete an approved training course;
- Farm and manage the land included in the application;
- Register with, and be approved as, an organic operator by a private inspection body;
- Have a minimum farm area of 3ha – except for horticultural producers where the minimum farm area is 1ha.
Minister McConalogue said: “The Programme for Government is committed to increasing the utilisable agricultural area under organic production.
“Budget 2024 will provide an allocation of €57 million, which reflects the extraordinary level of interest in this scheme.”
Meanwhile, Minister Hackett added: “I have implemented a range of policy measures to increase participation in organic farming.
“Since I took office, we have doubled the number of organic farmers. [The] budget contains €57 million for organic farming, a 50% increase to help achieve our ambitious goal in the Climate Action Plan of 10% of agricultural land under organic production by 2030.
“I look forward to announcing the opening of the next phase of the scheme shortly,” she added.