Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)

The Deputy is correct - there is no point in having broad aspirations about growth. That is why anybody interested in the agrifood sector should read the Food Harvest 2020 document, which is a very easy read. It is specific in the targets. It is not specific on employment because it is very difficult to calculate direct employment creation in a number of these sectors. It is easier to gauge employment in the seafood sector. In this year alone we have seen an extra 272 jobs in seafood processing which has been supported through grant aid. There will be a 26% increase in exports to France, the country to which we export most seafood. That is linked to some of the work we are doing on processing.

In some of the other areas we are quite specific. Dairy should have 50% growth in volume and there should be a 40% value increase across all the sectors by 2020. The initial Food Harvest 2020 document planned for a 20% increase by value in beef exports and we have subsequently upgraded that. The specific beef activation group that is monitoring the progress of Food Harvest 2020 has subsequently given me a report suggesting that we upgrade that target to a 40% increase rather than a 20% increase because of the increase in beef prices that has happened. If the Deputy wants specifics, he should look at the document, which is very specific. It is also specific on how we get there. I chair an implementation group that meets every second month and reviews delivery on the targets set out in the document. This is a working document that is changing all the time and is very much driving the industry forward. The proof of that is that this year we will export an additional €1 billion worth of food. We will go from just under €8 billion worth of food exports last year to just under €9 billion this year, which is phenomenal growth given the recession.

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