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EXPORTS 2017 In 2017 the farmgate value of the mushroom industry was valued at over €121m, producing 68,000 tonnes of mushrooms. The mushroom industry exports 80% of its production to the UK market and these were valued at €91m last year which was a robust performance by the sector in the context of Brexit and the impact this was having on currency rates. In volume terms exports were back slightly compared to 2016. The UK retail market, which is the key destination market for Irish mushrooms, has been showing good volume growth at a rate of 2.5% per annum reaching an all-time high while value grew by 3 %. The largest product category in the retail mushroom market in the UK is closed cup pre-packed mushrooms with almost a 50% share of total retail mushroom sales. There is larger growth in smaller sectors but from a smaller base – the two areas with strongest growth are currently button mushrooms and brown mushrooms. In 2017 on the domestic market retail mushroom sales were strong with a 6% increase in volume and 2% in value. ✽
PROMOTION The EU and industry funded promotional campaign titled “Potatoes – More Than A Bit On The Side” is being rolled out from 2015 to 2018. This year will be the final year of the current campaign. Key activities include outdoor, print and online advertising as well as significant social media communication across a number of digital platforms which drive consumers to the campaign website potato.ie. Consumer research tracking the campaign is showing that the campaign awareness and messaging are cutting through. Kantar Worldpanel data for the retail potato market 2017 reports both value and volume growth and an increase in the frequency of purchase by the target audience. To date some noticeable outcomes for the campaign include 524,000 of the target audience reached by press advertising, 15m impressions delivered through digital advertising, and 700,000 unique visits to the campaign website potato.ie. In 2017 in Ireland over 380,000 tonnes of potatoes were produced on over 9,000 ha. ✽
PROGRAMMES The EU School Fruit and Vegetables scheme is implemented in Ireland through the Food Dudes programme. The Food Dudes programme is an evidence-based incentivised behaviour changing initiative which is managed by Bord Bia and funded by the Department of Agriculture Food and the Marine and the European Union. The Food Dudes programme aims to increase sustained fruit and vegetable consumption amongst primary school children through the provision and repeated tasting of fruit and vegetables over a 16 day intervention period with the support of accompanying measures in the form of role models (Food Dudes Heroes) and small rewards (followed by a home phase where fruit and vegetables are supplied from home). The Food Dudes Boost programme was introduced at the beginning of 2015 and will have been offered to all national schools by the end of the 2018 school year. A total of over 800 schools and 110,000 school children participated in the Boost programme in 2017. The Incredible Edibles programme reaches its 10th birthday in 2018 and is still going strong. The Incredible Edibles is a school based programme with the aim of engaging children in growing fruit and vegetables and increasing awareness of their role in a healthy and balanced diet. Jointly funded by the horticulture industry with support from the Departments of Health and Education and Bord Bia, the programme is managed at school level by the farming promotion body Agri-Aware. A total of 1,500 national schools took part in the programme during 2017. The programme is commencing in schools this spring with another strong year of participation by schools anticipated with close to last year’s total already registered. ✽
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/ www.horticultureconnected.ie / Spring 2018
