07/09/2012

25,000 New Jobs Possible If Agri-Food Sector Continues Growth

An estimated 25,000 new jobs could be created if targets for the development of the farming and food sectors are achieved over the next eight years, agriculture minister Simon Coveney has said.

Mr Coveney said recent analysis suggests that growth in the agri-food sector could realistically generate these additional direct and indirect jobs by 2020.

He said the prospect of 25,000 additional jobs by 2020 demonstrates the significant potential for employment generation within the sector and the real value to the people of this country of the expansion envisaged in Food Harvest 2020.

Mr Coveney emphasised that the agri-food and fishing sector continues to be one of the cornerstones of national export recovery.

In 2011, agri-food exports were valued at €8.84bn, a 12% increase on the previous year.

(H)


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