Northern Ireland Mushroom Industry will disappear unless Urgent Action is Taken warns Nicholson
Ulster Unionist MEP Jim Nicholson has warned today that the mushroom industry in Northern Ireland is going to disappear unless urgent action is taken to secure a long-term future for the once flourishing industry.
Mr Nicholson led representatives from the mushroom sector in Northern Ireland to meet with the agriculture Minister Michelle Gildernew recently where the Minister heard about the serious pressures facing the industry.
Speaking after the meeting Mr Nicholson said,
“The mushroom industry stands at a cross roads in Northern Ireland. Unless urgent action is taken to address the short and long-term problems facing the industry it will simply disappear and end up going the same way as our shipyards and textile industries did. It is not in the interest of Northern Ireland PLC for this to happen.
“I have been shown startling statistics by those in the industry, which prove that in 5 years the industry has declined at an alarming rate. In the past 5 years there has been an 80% drop in the production of mushroom compost in Northern Ireland meaning less mushroom producers, less output and job losses. All of which has a devastating knock on effect on the rest of the economy. In 2002 there were 226 mushroom producers in Northern Ireland whereas now there are only around 40.
“Producers and processors, as in many other sectors face increasing competition from suppliers in Eastern Europe and rising transport and energy costs. For an industry that was once heavily export led, it is now restricted largely to supplying the domestic market and I am deeply concerned over its future.
“Quite clearly something should have been done earlier to address the demise of this once flourishing industry but now it is on the agenda and I hope the Minister will stick to her word and look at ways of securing a future for our mushroom industry.”
(Jim Nicholson MEP leads representatives from the Mushroom Industry to meet with the Agriculture Minister (From L-R: Seán McArdle, Thomas McHugh, Michelle Gildernew MP MLA and UUP MEP Jim Nicholson)