Over 3,000 tonnes of peat imported into Ireland at weekend

IFA President Tim Cullinan said the Government’s inaction on the availability of peat for the horticultural industry is utterly unacceptable.

His comments came in the wake of national media reports that some 3,600 tonnes of horticultural peat arrived from Latvia into Drogheda Port on Saturday, where it was met by a fleet of 200 trucks.

“We need political leadership here. We are sick of everyone blaming everyone while small growers and businesses which provide employment in rural Ireland are being put out of business by Government inaction. It’s a total travesty,” said Cullinan.

The IFA said it had already highlighted that a stockpile of peat would not be of use for the mushroom industry as fresh excavation is required.

He said the need to import peat was "an unbelievable scenario" given that horticultural peat is readily available and can be harvested in a sustainable, environmentally friendly manner in this country.

“The difficulty in sourcing peat is the final nail in the coffin for many horticultural operators. It’s very contradictory to talk of expanding our horticultural sector while many growers are currently forced into exiting due to rising input costs, labour shortages, peat availability and diminishing margins,” he said.

The consultation group convened by Minister Malcolm Noonan earlier this year has met on 11 occasions. Every possible alternative has been discussed at length. As it stands, no viable alternative is available for the industry.