The Irish Horticultural Industry has an estimated annual farmgate value of €380 million.
The Industry is comprised of two key sectors:
- Food Sector (incl Potatoes, Vegetables, Fruit & Protected food crops)
- Amenity Sector (incl Nursery Stock, Christmas Trees, Cut Foliage, Bulbs & Protected plants/flowers)
Production Areas:
The production of Horticultural Crops takes place throughout Ireland but depending on the crops involved there are key regional areas of more intensive production eg:
| Field Vegetables: |
Leinster, Munster |
| Fruit: |
Leinster |
| Potatoes: |
Leinster, Munster, Ulster |
| Mushrooms: |
Connaught, Ulster, Leinster, Munster |
| Protected Salad Crops: |
Leinster |
| Nursery Stock Production: |
Leinster, Munster |
| Christmas Trees: |
Leinster, Munster |
|
Cut Foliage: |
Munster, Leinster |
Labour In Horticulture:
The following table highlights the employment levels within the different horticultural areas:
|
Sector |
TotalEmployment including part-time equivalent staff |
Full time Employment |
Part-time employment as full time equivalents |
Seasonal employment |
|
Potatoes |
1344 |
n/a |
n/a |
n/a |
|
Mushrooms |
1850 |
n/a |
n/a |
n/a |
|
Field Vegetables (3) |
856 |
626 |
250 |
|
|
Protected Vegetable Crops |
512 |
401 |
112 |
|
|
Soft Fruit outdoor
Soft Fruit protected |
372 |
141 |
231 |
585 |
|
Top Fruit |
185 |
52 |
133 |
n/a |
|
Protected Amenity Plants (4) |
163 |
127 |
35 |
|
|
Hardy Nursery Stock(6) |
837 |
676 |
161 |
n/a |
|
Total |
6,119 |
|
|
|