Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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143. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his Department provides support for farmers and agri-food businesses to develop new markets at home and abroad; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6872/22]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The Deputy will be aware that Food Vision 2030, the new ten-year strategy for the agri-food sector, is an ambitious blueprint for the sector for the years ahead, adding value sustainably into the future, with a strategic focus on environmental protection. It includes several actions to develop market opportunities at home and abroad and envisages a sustainable and steady increase in the value of our agri-food exports to €21 billion by 2030, driven by value rather than volume. This will of course benefit both our primary producers and our agri-food industry.

The Deputy may be aware that my Department, as part of Brexit response planning, sought and achieved EU State Aid approval for a Capital Investment Scheme for Processing and Marketing of meat and dairy products. The scheme is co-funded by my Department and the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment. In November 2021, I announced with the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the approval of 22 projects in the meat and dairy sectors across the country involving funding of €70m. The funding for the capital investment will help those working in food production to diversify their offering, to attract new markets and customers, making their business more resilient and sustainable.

The LEADER Food Initiative is funded by my Department, implemented and managed by the Department of Rural and Community Development. The measure supports the development of food and drink businesses throughout rural Ireland. The funding covers the renovation and extension of production facilities, the purchasing of processing equipment, as well as supporting participants in the artisan food and beverage sector in areas such as market development, competitiveness, and innovation.

My Department also funds the Prepared Consumer Food Centre in Ashtown, which provides an important service to the Prepared Consumer Food sector (PCF) through specialist expertise, state of the art facilities and innovative research by Teagasc and industry partners. The PCF Centre enables researchers and industry to collaborate in private and public research projects in the prepared consumer foods arena and to pilot and develop food products for placing on the market.

I have also recently requested Bord Bia to carry out some research to examine how other countries have been successful in developing premium markets for family farm produce, to learn from international best practice.

To set the success of our agri food businesses in context, total Irish agri-food exports are estimated by my Department to have reached €15.2 billion in 2021, the first time exports have exceeded the €15 billion mark. Around one-third of export value was accounted for by the UK market in 2021, one-third by European Union markets, and one-third by international markets outside of Europe.

Gaining new market access, and opening new trading opportunities around the world for Irish exports, is integral to my Department’s strategic approach to the development of the agri-food sector. Ministerial led trade missions to priority markets, as well as technical meetings and inward visits and inspections, are a key part of our market development and market access strategy, in cooperation with my Department, Bord Bia and our Embassy network. Over the past two years, Bord Bia have developed a successful model of virtual trade missions, at a time when travel was not possible, keeping Ireland and its quality, sustainable, safe food offering, current, relevant and visible and in line with our Food Vision 2030 strategy.