The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) today (Tuesday, January 21) confirmed that €19 million was issued in payments to the Irish horticulture sector in 2024.

The outgoing Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue, said today: “This level of payments clearly demonstrates the government’s ongoing commitment to supporting this vitally important sector and aligns with the vision set out in the National Strategy for Horticulture 2023-2027 to grow a more profitable, value-added sector, driven by innovation and sustainability". 

According to Teagasc horticulture is the fourth largest sector in Ireland after dairy, beef and pigs in terms of gross agricultural commodity output with an estimated farm-gate value of €521 million.

However it has been hit hard by input price inflation over the last number of years and the Irish Farmers' Association (IFA) has repeatedly warned that growers have been leaving the industry because of "soaring input costs". 

There were a number of schemes that horticulture producers, which includes mushrooms, potatoes, field vegetables, soft fruit, protected crops and the outdoor fruit sector, could sign up to last year.

These included the Scheme of Investment Aid for the Development of the Commercial Horticulture Sector, the EU Producer Organisation Scheme for the Fruit and Vegetable Sector, the Schemes of Investment Aid for Innovation and Diversification in Horticulture and the Horticulture Crisis Fund. 

The 2025 Schemes of Investment Aid for Innovation and Diversification in Horticulture - which aim to increase innovation and diversification in the industry - are now open to primary producers again.

Growers have been reminded that the closing date for receipt of applications under these schemes is midnight, Friday, 7 February 2025.

In relation to the five recognised fruit and vegetable producer organisations in Ireland with members across the high wire, fruit, field vegetable and mushroom sectors, Minister McConalogue said that a total of €7.8 million had been paid out to horticulture growers under the EU Producer Organisation Scheme for the Fruit and Vegetable Sector in 2024.  

"This scheme provides an invaluable support to producers including mitigating climate change, improving product quality, boosting value of the products, preventing and managing crises and increasing the planning of production and concentration of supply," he added.