Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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154. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the extent to which the objectives of Food Harvest 2020 remain attainable, or can be further enhanced, having particular regard to developments in the various food sectors in the interim, including the opening up of the market to Irish beef and opportunities for the dairy sector in the United States of America in the aftermath of the abolition of milk quotas; if he envisages the emergence of new targets in such areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6650/15]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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I am confident that the industry developed targets set out in Food Harvest 2020 are attainable and can be met. As the deputy is aware, the main targets in the Food Harvest report are, by 2020, to increase the value of:

- Primary output in the agriculture, fisheries and forestry sector by 33%

- Value added production by 40%

- Agriculture, food (including seafood) and drink exports by 42%

In addition, a 50% increase in milk production following the abolition of the milk quotas and a 78% increase in the volume of aquaculture production is envisaged.

Progress on these targets and the 215 recommendations in the Food Harvest report are monitored and reviewed on an ongoing basis. The fourth annual report “Milestones for Success 2014”, published last September, showed that the sector had achieved very significant progress on these targets and illustrated, using case studies, the manner in which the Food Harvest 2020 vision of 'smart, green, growth' is being attained. Furthermore, based on the most recent data, the value of primary production has grown by 30%, value-added has increased by 23% and exports have grown by 27%, compared to the baseline period.

The Food Harvest High Level Implementation Committee recognise these achievements but we are also aware that we are entering a period of change arising, as the Deputy mentions, from the abolition of milk quotas, the opening of new markets including the US market to Irish beef and implementation of new operational CAP, CFP and RDP programmes. To ensure that the optimum strategy was in place to capitalise on the challenges and opportunities presented for increased growth and expansion, on 25^thNovember last, I embarked on a new 10 year planning horizon.

I appointed a 2025 Agri-Food Strategy Committee, chaired by Mr John Moloney, and asked this Committee to present to me, by end June 2015, a short report for the development of the agri-food sector up to 2025. This report will focus on the key recommendations and actions necessary to ensure that the agri-food sector maximises its contribution to economic growth, employment and exports in an environmentally sustainable manner. I am awaiting the outcome of this comprehensive process before deciding what changes, if any, are necessary to our current strategy.