Horticulture Sector
Dail Éireann — 2026-03-19
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Michael Healy-Rae (IND), Kerry

I thank Deputy O'Donoghue for the question. The Government fully recognises the importance of the horticultural sector to the economy and its contribution to food security in Ireland. My Department is closely monitoring developments regarding input costs. The current conflict in the Middle East is putting upward pressure on energy and fertiliser prices. The Strait of Hormuz is currently closed, leading to delays in the transportation of fertilisers. It has been estimated that 25% to 30% of global nitrogen fertiliser exports pass through the Strait of Hormuz.
Agriculture in the EU as a whole is vulnerable to shocks in the availability and price of fertiliser due to limited internal production capacity and a reliance on imports. Ireland does not produce fertilisers and therefore is exposed to market shifts. It is too early to assess the full impact of current input price pressures on horticultural production systems and, in turn, on farmer margins. The impact will depend on how long the disruption lasts, whether physical energy production infrastructure is damaged, and how secondary markets respond. My Department is meeting with the fertiliser importers this week and will continue to monitor the situation closely.
My Department provides a range of supports to growers in the horticulture sector through a number of schemes, including the scheme of investment aid for the development of the commercial horticulture sector, the EU producer organisation scheme for the fruit and vegetable sector and the schemes of investment aid for innovation and diversification in horticulture.
The Government is fully committed to the Irish horticulture sector. The National Strategy for Horticulture 2023-2027 sets out a clear vision to grow a more profitable, value-added sector, driven by innovation and sustainability and provides a roadmap for the sector to achieve this potential. My Department is working collaboratively with stakeholders to progress all key strategic actions in the national strategy for horticulture.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2026-03-19/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:54:45+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-03-19