03 / BORD BIA
eZine We support
GROMόR
Bord Bia is delighted to be involved, once again, in supporting the GroMór gardening promotional campaign. With 66 REI Garden Centre Group members, and up to twenty INHSA nursery members all contributing and participating, added support is again welcomed from Westland Horticulture and Bord na Mona as sponsors. The nursery support for In association with Sponsored by the campaign is important as it provides a key link to www.gromor.ie the promotional activity in the retail outlets with local growers and plants which is reflected in the use of the campaign pot labels by the participating growers and the engaging point of sale material in store. This collaborative initiative aims to build on the awareness and impact of the campaign after its inaugural campaign in 2015. This year the campaign will include a range of activities to support the objective of increasing footfall of younger, marginal gardeners to garden centres and consequently increase the consumption of plants. Sandra Doran of Retail Excellence Ireland provides an overview of the campaign in another section of this publication. Join the conversation on Facebook at www.facebook.com/gromorireland or tweet @Gro_M όr. ✽
EXPORT PERFORMANCE 2015 In January Bord Bia published its annual export performance and prospects report. It was another successful year for food, drink and horticulture exports reaching, a value of €10.8 billion, which was an increase of 3% on 2014 and the 6th year of consecutive growth in exports in 2015. The exports are now sold in more than 175 markets worldwide, with the UK identified as the most important market and a destination for 41% of the value of all the exports. Horticulture exports comprise mainly of mushrooms and amenity crops. In 2015 the value of mushroom exports remained steady on the back of favourable exchange rates, despite reduced volumes to the UK. The UK is the key market for mushroom exports although some modest exports to the French, Netherlands and German market were recorded. The value of amenity horticulture crop exports was estimated to be €16m in 2015 which is an increase of over €1m on 2014. This include nursery stock €6.2m, Christmas Trees €5m, Cut Foliage €3.8m and flowers/bulbs at €1m. The UK market is the key market overall. ✽
RETAIL POTATO MARKET UPLIFT The National Potato Conference was held in Dublin in February at which the healthy attendance were given an update by Kantar Worldpanel on the current position of the retail potato market over the past year. It was encouraging to hear that for the first time in a number of years, both the value and volume of the market had grown. A key driver of these trends was an increase in the average shelf price for potatoes in store and the frequency of purchase. More shopping occasions (i.e. 34) to the shop fixture to purchase potatoes was a positive trend though the volume purchased on each occasion had not recovered yet to previous levels. The potato category was valued at €163m in 2015. Potatoes make up 74% of the volume purchased in the carbohydrate category, which is still an impressive position, despite the decrease in potato consumption in recent years. In 2015, a total of 8,374ha of potatoes were grown, producing 336,000 tons of potatoes with an estimated farm gate value of €76m. The potato conference was organised by the IFA and Teagasc in association with Bord Bia. ✽
Spring 2016 / www.horticulture.ie / HORTICULTURECONNECTED
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