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B ARR Y L U P T O N INTERVIEWS T ARA M c C AR T H Y
STRATEGIC
I N SI GH T Having spent 20 years at the heart
of Ireland’s food and drink industry working as a senior manager in Bord Bia’s consumer foods division, as a director of the food and beverage sector, and then CEO of Bord Iascaigh Mhara, there are few people who can claim to have her knowledge and insight. In this interview, Tara sets out the opportunities and challenges facing the industry and how Bord Bia is adapting to them.
Where do you see the key opportunities for Irish horticulture over the next decade? The ambition for the horticulture industry is clearly set out and endorsed by the sector in FoodWise 2025. The target is to achieve an output valued at €500m by 2025. It is an ambitious target and will require all stakeholders in the industry, including Bord Bia, to play their parts to realise it. Many industries would look enviously at horticulture in terms of the many positive attributes that it has in its favour, particularly when you look at where the opportunities and challenges lie in areas such as economic activity, obesity and sustainability. Obesity is a growing problem for first world countries including Ireland. The recommendation from health professionals is to follow a balanced diet with seven portions of fruit and vegetables daily at its core. As Ireland is below these recommended levels, we have an opportunity to increase fresh produce consumption. We are exploring promotional options with the fresh produce sector at the moment to deliver a stronger message to consumers and ultimately increase our intake levels. Locally grown and sustainably produced food increasingly has a resonance with today’s consumer. We have seen from our own research, particularly when it comes to people’s
T ara M c C arth y , ord ia s C , shared her ambitions or the Irish horticulture sector with the readers o Horticulture Connected when I caught up with her recently understanding of the Bord Bia Quality Mark, the positive influence it has on purchasing decisions. On top of this, we are seeing a growing foodservice sector again after a number of years in recession. Recent Bord Bia research has identified a wholesale market valued at over €390m for fresh produce where operators are increasingly seeking local suppliers. A recovering economy is good news for amenity horticulture with both domestic and commercial developments coming on stream helping to build demand for plants, landscape design and construction services. We know that a rise in consumer confidence translates to an increase in gardening spend. This is evident in our most recent market study which has seen the gardening market recovering more with every year. The growing demand for a cleaner, more sustainable and environmentally friendly environment for us to live and work in will create opportunities through use of more plants and attractively designed spaces. Promotional activity focused on gardening, like the industry’s Gromór campaign, will help to drive and harness this trend. On the export side, despite various challenges, amenity exports have reached a value of over €17m, which is a commendable performance in the context of Brexit when the UK is the key market. We will work and support exporters to build on these achievements and opportunities to grow them.
Spring 2018 / www.horticultureconnected.ie /
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