Demand for oat-based food products continues to grow, around the world latest research figures suggest.
According to Dr. Ewen Mullins, head of Teagasc’s Crop Science Department, it is a market that Irish grain growers should be part of.
“A case in point is the growing demand for oat milks,” he said
“Ten years ago this market didn’t exist, now its worth millions. And this growth is set to continue,” Dr. Mullins highlighted.
He also pointed to the increase in demand for organic oat products. Evidence also suggests, that from a consumer perspective, the fact oats represent a gluten-free protein source is a key attraction.
“Oats has the potential to become another malting barley option for Irish grain growers,” Dr. Mullins added.
“But the growth in the market is not centred on animal feed: it’s all about adding value in terms of human nutrition.”
Dr. Mullins is part of a group made up of research scientists and processing sector representatives who are currently driving the Oats Ireland Initiative.
He explained that the initiative involves the input of people from across the island of Ireland and that it aims to act as a forum for ideas.
Dr. Mullins said the initiative also wants to prioritise research agendas to address the primary challenges the sector faces.
“Our core aim is to maximise the food ingredient potential of oats that are grown in Ireland,” he added.
Oats Ireland is addressing a number of core development themes. Many of these were originally identified by former Teagasc research scientist Dr. John Finnan, who lost his life in a plane crash in 2019.
Dr. Mullins explained that there is major potential to grow oats in Ireland because the “crop ticks many boxes from an agronomy and sustainability perspective”.
The Oats Ireland initiative is examining how best to support growers when it comes to oats.
“This includes maximising crop yield and quality in the most sustainable way possible.
“Both winter and spring oats are cropping options for Irish farmers. Over the years, oat-related research has lagged behind the work done on other cereals throughout the country.
“Oats Ireland is working to address this deficit through stakeholder engagement and assisting in research prioritisation,” according to Dr.Mullins.
He also stressed the active and important input of both Teagasc and Northern Ireland’s Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI) in driving the project forward.
“There is a full buy-in for the project at both a research and a commercial level.
“Obviously, we want as many farmers as possible to become actively involved in growing oats,” he said.
According to Dr. Mullins the current research projects are focussed “on fine-tuning the agronomy required to manage oat crops in the most efficient way possible”.
“This is an aspect of research that has already been addressed, where barley is concerned,” he said.