DUBLIN: Irish and other EU agricultural producers are set to receive funding across 2017 to promote their products and find new markets globally.
The promotion budget will largely target countries outside the EU, including China, Middle East, North America, South-East Asia and Japan. An improved 2017 budget of €133 million represents a significant increase compared with the €111 million from this year.
The products which will be the most advertised in the campaigns are fruits and vegetables (30% of the programmes), followed by meat (17%) and dairy products (15%).
This reflects the importance of promotion policy to support sectors experiencing difficult market situations, like dairy and pigmeat.
Returning from his business mission to Vietnam and Indonesia, Commissioner for Agriculture Hogan said: “I welcome these new programmes, especially in the context of the recent market difficulties. I was just now travelling in Asia as part of our efforts to boost agri-food exports, and I am struck by the interest being shown by importers and consumers in this part of the world. The further expansion of our promotion programmes next year is also particularly important as this will also help to stimulate growth and jobs in the agri-food sector.”
