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NI agri-food strategy unveiled by first and deputy first minister | NI agri-food strategy unveiled by first and deputy first minister |
(35 minutes later) | |
The first and deputy first minister have launched a plan for the agri-food industry which aims to create 15,000 jobs over the next seven years. | The first and deputy first minister have launched a plan for the agri-food industry which aims to create 15,000 jobs over the next seven years. |
The plan was unveiled at the Balmoral show. | The plan was unveiled at the Balmoral show. |
It has more than 100 recommendations which are geared towards accelerating growth in the sector. | It has more than 100 recommendations which are geared towards accelerating growth in the sector. |
Agri-food is currently worth £5bn but the executive wants to increase that to £7bn by 2020. | Agri-food is currently worth £5bn but the executive wants to increase that to £7bn by 2020. |
Impact | |
The first minister Peter Robinson said; "Agri-food has immense potential to contribute to economic recovery and longer term prosperity in Northern Ireland". | |
Meanwhile, the agri-food sector has seen a huge boost in business in the last month since a decision was taken by Tesco to source more meat in Northern Ireland. | |
The volume of chicken supplied by Moy Park is up 250%. | |
Agriculture Minister Michelle O'Neill said the uplift for Moy Park put them "well on the way to meeting their sales target of three million fresh chickens a week from Northern Ireland" by 2015. | |
Moy Park has major processing facilities in Dungannon and Ballymena and works with 600 local poultry farmers. | |
Two other local companies are also profiting. | |
Foyle Food Group in Londonderry is selling Tesco 50% more beef than previously and Karro in Cookstown has seen pork sales to the supermarket grow by 200%. | |
Ms O'Neill said she was "extremely pleased at the impact." | |
Prior to the initiative, Tesco was already buying £500m worth of goods from local suppliers annually. |
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