THE DIFFICULTY in finding Irish produce on supermarket shelves was highlighted by the Irish Food Writers’ Guild at its 18th annual awards.
Chef and food writer Myrtle Allen said Irish farmers and growers produced some of the highest quality food in the world and yet it was often a challenge to find something as simple as an Irish apple in our shops.
“If we don’t support and buy Irish, we will ultimately witness the demise of the small to medium-sized local producer . . . I am appealing to all stakeholders, including retailers, to recognise their responsibilities in supporting home-grown industry,” she said.
Among the five winners at yesterday’s awards was apple grower Con Traas from the Apple Farm in Cahir. He said there had been a decline in the number of growers when it became difficult to compete with countries such as China.
But apple production was on the increase again, he said, and the Department of Agriculture was planning grant aid for growers who wanted to plant apples.
The guild also presented awards to McCarthy butchers in Kanturk, Castlemine Farm Free Range Pork in Roscommon, and Glebe Brethan Cheese and Derrycamma Farm Rapeseed Oil, both in Louth.
Producers can only be nominated by the food writers.
Minister for Agriculture Simon Coveney said demand for high-quality Irish food was increasing abroad. Consequently, increasing the value of food exports by nearly 50 per cent to more than €12 billion by 2020 was “achievable”.
Cheese worth almost €12 million was being sold annually, with €5 million of that from exports.
He also highlighted a 27 per cent increase in the number of school leavers wanting to do agriculture and food science courses last year, an increase of almost a third on the previous year.
AWARD WINNERS: GRASSROOTS PRODUCERS
* The Tiernan family from Dunleer, Co Louth, won an award for their handmade Glebe Brethan Cheese.
* Butchers Jack McCarthy and his son Tim were honoured for their contribution to Irish food through their shop in Kanturk, Co Cork.
* Derrycamma Farm Foods, Castlebellingham, Co Louth, won an award for its rapeseed oil.
* Castlemine Farm is a family enterprise in Fourmilehouse, Co Roscommon. It was honoured for its free-range pork.
* Fruit grower Con Traas of the Apple Farm in Cahir, Co Tipperary, received a lifetime achievement award for his commitment to the sector. His parents, Willem and Ali Traas, moved to Ireland from the Netherlands 40 years ago to set up an orchard. Today their son grows 40 acres of fruit, including 60 varieties of apple, soft fruits, plums, cherries and pears.
For more details see theapplefarm.com
