The new ‘Prepared Consumer Foods Centre’ in Teagasc Ashtown, Dublin, was officially opened today (Thursday, October 18) by the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Michael Creed.
Speaking at the opening, Minister Creed highlighted the importance of the prepared consumer foods (PCF) sector to Ireland and the challenges and opportunities facing the sector.
He said: “The PCF sector accounted for €2.8 billion in agri-food sector exports in 2017. The UK accounts for 60% of PCF food and drink exports and is therefore significantly challenged by Brexit.”
The €5 million investment in 2018 has been used to purchase specialist equipment which will provide companies with the opportunity to pilot the equipment, with a view to scaling up their own production and to enable adoption of novel technologies to meet evolving consumer demands and expectations, the department explained.
There is potential to create a significant number of direct jobs across the country, as well as indirect jobs given that PCF companies are more labour intensive than other parts of the food sector, according to the department.
However, 76% of PCF companies in Ireland are small and investment in research and development within the sector has traditionally been low, it added.
Responsive service
This investment will allow Teagasc to deliver a more responsive service for the Irish PCF sector, through specialist expertise, state-of-the-art facilities and innovative ideas from Teagasc researchers and industry partners, Minister Creed noted.
Continuing, he said: “The investment will underpin technological capability and capacity to enable both researchers and industry to collaborate in private and public research projects in the PCF arena.
The capital investment will also enable the training of industry employees in advanced technologies.
“I want to encourage all PCF companies to use these facilities, and to engage with Teagasc, Enterprise Ireland and Bord Bia in availing of the full range of state supports that are in place to enable businesses to plan for the significant challenges posed by Brexit.”
Officially opening the new ‘Prepared Consumer Foods Centre’ in Ashtown which will provide our €2.8 billion export PCF sector with a useful Brexit resource pic.twitter.com/9hK2muSPAh
— Michael Creed TD (@creedcnw) October 18, 2018
The minister also welcomed the fact that a further €5 million was secured in Budget 2019 to build on the investment in 2018.
“This will provide additional funding for incubation units to assist companies who are scaling up their production and developing new products – in addition to the purchase of equipment for nutritional measurement, and quality and sensory analysis,” he concluded.