Mr. Sean Ryan:

From speaking to growers from Donegal to Wexford every day, there are people saying they have payments left for two years, after which they will be out. That is the case across the country. However bad it is now, it will be much worse this day next year if the situation continues as it has been.

I am still in contact with the growers who got out. I have asked them whether they would get back in if things got better and they said that if they got double the money they would not go back in because of the stress and risk involved in growing a crop. Serious money is involved as the inputs, fertiliser and all the costs, have gotten out of hand. The growers are also getting to a certain age. They are getting older. Succession will be a serious problem. Younger people on the farms are not even looking into it. We have met the supermarkets about some of that and to talk about getting young people into horticulture. It will not happen. There are no young people. Land availability is a serious problem and when a distressed grower is holding up a ten cent coin on the "Six One News" stating that is all he needs to stay in business, no young lad will be interested. No bank will give that sector money the way it is going at the moment.