Ireland: Macra told laws needed to stop cheap selling of vegetables

Ireland should follow the UK’s example and introduce legislation to tackle supermarkets selling vegetables for just a few cent. Policy director for an Taisce James Nix said last year’s sale of vegetables such as Brussels sprouts at 5 cent a kilogramme was likely to be repeated again this year.

There is huge scope for import substitution and he said 80 per cent of Ireland’s fruit and vegetables are imported.

He told the Macra na Feirme annual conference that the UK had brought forward legislation to tackle the supermarkets’ power and in Ireland four or five supermarkets control 80 per cent of the sector.

An Taisce met Minister for Agriculture Simon Coveney last week and pressed him on the issue, he said.

Mr Nix pointed out that when the ash cloud occurred following the eruption of an Icelandic volcano “there was significant pressure on Irish food shelves” because of the lack of fresh fruit and vegetables. “We need to reduce that 80 per cent dependence on imported fruit and vegetables.”

Source: irishtimes.com