A Kerry general election candidate has said she has been told that there are currently only 60 field vegetable growers left in the country.
Linda Gordon Kelleher has engaged with groups and vegetable growers who say that they have been decimated in the last 26 years due to the increased financial pressures on farmers and growers.
“I was shocked to learn of how few field vegetable growers we have left in the country. It is beyond comprehension that we would have such a low number of growers in the country,” she said.
She said it is no wonder that we have such a low amount of growers with the pressure now being put on farmers and growers to burden the cost of waste, stacking shelves in supermarkets, and reduce their prices.
“When you get into the details with these people, you realise the burden being placed on them financially would never be sustainable and impossible to profit from,”” Ms Gordon Kelleher added.
The Fianna Fáil general election candidate said that the producers need to be supported by government as they do extremely important work.
“We produce premium quality produce in this country and we need to support the producers.
“Also from a food security perspective, with the Covid pandemic and the international conflicts, it has shown food security is so important for a nation like us”.
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