Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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119. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the extent to which his Department continues to monitor and safeguard the interest of the agri-food sector given the sharp increase in price of inputs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25867/24]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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My Department monitors information on farms and the wider agri-food sector, in collaboration with Teagasc and the Central Statistics Office (CSO), on an ongoing basis. This includes monitoring agricultural input and output prices.

The CSO publish monthly Agricultural Output and Input Price Indices. These indices monitor trends in prices paid to farmers for their produce and prices paid by farmers for purchases of goods and services. While the input price index remained elevated throughout 2022, it has now moderated. In addition, the output price index has trended upwards in recent months. In March 2024, the agricultural output price index stood at 32.2% above its January 2021 reference level, while the equivalent figure for the input price index was 26.4% by comparison.

Our farms and the wider agri-food sector have demonstrated their adaptability and resilience in the face of significant challenges in recent years, continuing to deliver safe and nutritious food for Irish and international markets. Employment in the agri-food sector stood at 173,400 in 2023, an increase of 3.4% on 2022 according to the CSO Labour Force Survey. Meanwhile, agri-food exports have been similarly resilient according to trade data, having reached a record €19 billion in 2022 and falling by only 3.5% to €18.3 billion in 2023, despite very challenging market conditions.

The Government and I am acutely aware of the difficulties facing family farms and have already put supports in place to ensure their ongoing viability and remain ready to do so again. I will continue to support our family farms, including through implementation of Ireland’s CAP Strategic Plan which will deliver some €10 billion to Irish farm families in the period to 2027. I look forward to continuing to work with all the agri-food stakeholders in delivering its Food Vision 2030 ambitions.