The Chairman of the Quality Green Producer Organisation, David Currid of Ballygunner-based Grantstown Tomatoes, said that he and his fellow local growers need to be paid more for their output.
Speaking to The Irish Examiner’s Farming supplement on Thursday, March 2, Mr. Currid said that problems relating to food security might increase without necessary support for Irish fruit and vegetable growers.
Given the current growing issues in Spain and North Africa, along with scaled-back growing levels in The Netherlands due to rising energy costs, empty or sparingly stocked shelves have become evident in recent weeks.
Said Mr. Currid: “Generally, in the wintertime, most of the tomatoes coming into Ireland would come in from Spain or Morocco. Morocco has had a lot of problems with the tomato brown rugose virus. It’s a very serious virus that affects tomato crops around the world, but thankfully, it hasn’t come to Ireland yet, although it has been picked up in almost every other European country.”
This, combined with a cold snap in Southern Spain, has “created the perfect storm from a supply point of view,” said Mr. Currid.
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