Ireland's expanding organic farming sector received a further boost yesterday with the announcement of a new grant scheme which is part of a £6 million package to be made available under the National Development Plan.
Farmers can now apply for grants of up to £40,000 under the new scheme, which was announced yesterday by Mr Noel Davern, Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and Rural Development.
Mr Davern said the number of organic operators in the State had increased steadily since the early 1990s, and there were now about 1,000 organic farmers with 75,000 acres either in conversion or fully organic.
The Minister said that in the Border, Midlands, Western and South East Regions, for on-farm projects costing more than £2,000, the scheme offered grants of 40 per cent towards investment in equipment and facilities for production, preparation, grading, packing and storage of organic produce.
For off-farm projects costing more than £2,000, 40 per cent grant aid was available for investment in developing facilities for the preparation, grading, packing and storage of organic products.