Food and Drink Industry Ireland (FDII) has announced that the right government policies would ensure that Ireland delivers exports of $14 billion (€12bn) over the next eight years creating up to 30,000 new jobs.
 
Currently in Ireland one in eight jobs in Ireland are related to the agri-food sector.
 
FDII director Paul Kelly told the Herald that Ireland’s food and drink sector is deeply embedded in Ireland’s economy.
 
He said "That means that an increased focus on food will drive growth in the wider economy as well as in the sector itself.
 
"The food sector spends [$9.6 billion] €7.9 bn, or 76pc of its total expenditure, on Irish goods and services.
 
"This represents a significantly higher contribution to the domestic economy than any other area of manufacturing. If we increase exports to [$14 billion] €12bn, the sector will potentially deliver 30,000 jobs across the whole economy."