The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Michael Creed has launched the third progress report on Food Wise 2025: Steps to Success 2018.
“Market Development is one of the main themes of Food Wise 2025. Our intensified market access and market development efforts, including trade missions, are reaping rewards,” Minister Creed said.
“Last year’s record agri-food exports of €13.6 billion, and access to new markets – particularly Irish beef access to China, and the opening this week of the Qatari market to Irish beef, sheepmeat and poultry - are an endorsement of this effort, and of Ireland’s quality produce and our high standards of food safety and traceability.”
Eyes On Brexit
The third progress report highlights the progress achieved in year three of the implementation of the FoodWise 2025 strategy.
Steps to Success 2018, focuses on Brexit, sustainability, innovation and growth and Protected Geographical Indications (PGI). The report also highlights what the Department and the agencies have done over the last year and outlines a number of key actions to be taken.
It shows that of the 375 actions which were due to commence by 2018 or are ongoing actions, 74% have been achieved or substantial action has been undertaken, and a further 26% have commenced and are progressing well.
In addition to progressing all Food Wise actions, there will be a particular focus in the next year on three key actions. First is the upgrade of the Moorepark Technology Limited pilot plant. Secondly, will be the findings of the Food Wise High-Level Innovation team and lastly, it will increase Brexit Response actions.
“The challenges posed by Brexit makes the actions proposed in Food Wise 2025 all the more relevant, including those in relation to competitiveness, innovation, human capital and market diversification,” Creed concluded.
“Environmental sustainability is an essential prerequisite to the sector’s growth ambitions, and there is a growing consensus that we can and will do more on this front. Food Wise 2025 underlined the sector’s unique and special position within the Irish economy, and Steps to Success illustrates the potential for further growth of the sector in an economically, environmentally and socially sustainable manner.”
Recently, Minister Creed said that competitiveness, Brexit preparedness, and human capital are key to the themes of Food Waste 2025.
© 2018 Checkout – your source for the latest Irish retail news. Article by Aidan O’Sullivan. Click subscribe to sign up for the Checkout print edition.
