AFTER TWO miserable years, farmers have something to smile about. The weather has been kind and provided good returns for barley and wheat. A lot of hay and silage has been saved. And the outlook for cattle, beef and lamb prices is positive. What better excuse, then, for a large communal get-together where old friends meet and plans for the future can be considered? Such events don’t come any bigger than the national ploughing championships at Athy.
This three-day festival will be formally opened today by President McAleese. It is expected to attract up to 200,000 visitors, making it the largest rural gathering in Europe. Apart from national ploughing competitions, visitors from 13 countries will compete in international events. For the first time, there will be lamb-shearing demonstrations. High-profile visitors will include world champion boxer Katie Taylor along with members of the Tipperary and Kilkenny hurling teams and the Munster rugby team. Politicians will be there in force.
As might be expected, improved circumstances for agriculture have led to increased commercial interest in selling farmers new and specialised equipment. Eighty acres of trade space have been set aside for machinery and other exhibits. Some 15 kilometres of steel trackway have been laid to facilitate the crowds and to prevent the ground being churned up. On the basis of weather forecasts, however, visitors should be prepared for showers and some inclement weather midweek.
With all the talk about developing a “smart economy”, there is a tendency to overlook the central importance of farming and agribusiness to the State. There are more than 128,000 families working on the land. Last year, meat exports alone were valued at €2.25 billion. The agri-food and drinks sector accounted for 16 per cent of industrial output, 10 per cent of exports and one in 12 jobs. A 10-year Government plan aims to increase beef output by 20 per cent, with 50 per cent increases proposed for the dairying and pig-meat sectors.
Many farmers modernised and invested heavily in plant and machinery in recent years. Improved weather conditions, better yields and higher prices have come as a welcome relief and will allow them to pay off bank overdrafts. Some small farmers may not be so lucky. The collapse of the property bubble and the economic down-turn have cost many of them their off-farm jobs. In spite of such difficulties, life is more relaxed down on the farm, now that the harvest is in. Farmers can take it easier at the major rural event of the year.