All the latest news from Teagasc

SOFT FRUIT SEASON UPDATE

This year will be remembered as a challenging soft fruit season. Combined with structural damage for some from the snow in March and a very late growing season, things hadn’t started that well. When the summer arrived it came suddenly. Most of the early strawberry crops did well, but as the summer progressed crops suffered due to the intense heat. Yields were reduced and fruit quality was under pressure. Of all the cultivars grown ‘Malling Centenary’ seemed to tolerate the hot conditions better. Some of the everbearing cultivars went into what’s known as ‘thermo dormancy’. This is a physiological condition brought on by a combination of long summer days length and high temperatures. As a result, the plant produces very little fruit. All of this drama resulted in a shortage of strawberries, particularly from June. A similar trend was seen with raspberry crops with earlier crops doing very well and mid-summer crops struggling in the heat. The good news is that strawberry and raspberry sales were superb with very high demand all summer long. ✽

LABOUR SHORTAGES IN HORTICULTURE

Following an initial survey in January 2018 on labour shortages in horticulture, Teagasc Horticulture Development Department commissioned a detailed report on the horticultural labour market during the summer. The focus of this survey was to surface facts about labour shortages in the various sub-sectors of horticulture production. Growers reported a significant tightening of the labour market over the past 18 months. The survey was conducted before the announcement of the DBEI pilot work permit scheme in May, which provides for 500 horticulture work permits. It appears applications for the scheme were low due to severe weather conditions and that the scheme had come when growers were already into their busy season (scheme announced on May 14).

Following the main production season, interest in the scheme is growing and horticultural producers are currently applying to the scheme for current requirements and for arrangements for the 2019 season.

The main findings of the survey are:

● There is a 14% vacancy rate across the horticulture industry
● 67% of respondents stated that it was undermining their confidence to expand
● 57% reported that they were finding it difficult to maintain current output
● 90% of growers used “word of mouth” to recruit staff with most relying on this method
● Growers cited accommodation as a challenging issue when employing new staff. 53% cited that the cost of accommodation was excessive with 43% reporting nothing suitable was available.

The HIF (horticulture Industry forum) is in the process of making recommendations and proposals on the survey findings. ✽

MUSHROOM RESEARCH

Eoin O’Connor is a Teagasc Walsh Fellow in the final year of his Ph.D. studies, which are being done in collaboration with Teagasc’s Mushroom Research Group and Maynooth University. Eoin recently won the Teagasc RDS Gold Medal at the 25th Anniversary Walsh Fellow Seminar at Johnstown Castle. This event showcases the great work being done by Walsh Fellows across the whole of Teagasc and it is a prestigious award for any Ph.D. student. It is the first time a Walsh Fellow from Horticulture has won the medal so we are very proud of him indeed.

Eoin is working with Dr. Helen Grogan in the Horticulture Development Department, Teagasc and Dr.David Fitzpatrick at Maynooth University on a mushroom research project that is characterizing how mushrooms respond to the many viruses that can infect them. Mushroom viruses reduce the quality of fresh mushrooms and result in the produce being downgraded or rejected and so they effectively reduce the profitability of the grower. Eoin’s work has identified that the viruses can be found in different locations within the cells of the mushroom mycelium and that different mushroom strains respond differently to virus infections. He hopes to identify some factors that could be used to produce virus-resistant strains in the future. We wish him every success in his career. ✽

DAFM SCHEME OF INVESTMENT AID FOR COMMERCIAL HORTICULTURE SECTOR 2019

As part of the recent October budget, a provision was made for a horticultural grants scheme for 2019. This scheme is a significant support to growers and producers who are planning capital investments. There is a very much welcomed additional €1m in funding for the horticulture National Development Plan scheme in 2019, bringing the total provision for a sector particularly challenged by Brexit to €6 million. At the time of writing, communication from DAFM is that the scheme will be launched shortly, with a probable closing date in mid-December 2018. Approved investments should be completed no later than 29 September 2019 for larger capital investments that need to be staggered over a longer period.

You are advised to avail of the additional year of approval period, which permits an extended period to carry out works up to September 2020. This option should be applied for at the time of application.

It is likely that the overall aims of the scheme will not differ from last year, but you should read the terms and conditions and application form when released to ensure your proposed investment fits the scheme. Please contact your Teagasc adviser for assistance in completing the application process.

Some key points:

● Remember, planning permission is now a requirement for all building projects. Previously it was enough to have applied for permission. Now a grant of permission is a condition of approval so this should be in place at the time of application, as was the case last year.
● It is worth remembering that the scheme is a competitive scheme. All eligible items may not necessarily attract investment aid or may attract reduced aid in certain instances.
● Quotations should be recent and need a signature (electronic signature is acceptable). ● Ensure that the quotation has adequate information to describe the proposed investment and that VAT is clearly itemised.
● Please consider the priority order of investments, if multiple items are being requested.
● Please ensure that the proposed investment or equipment is horticulture specific.
● Under no circumstances will late applications be accepted by DAFM so contact your Teagasc adviser as early as possible if you require assistance. ✽

SSRH SUPPORT SCHEME FOR RENEWABLE HEAT

The Support Scheme for Renewable Heat is a government-funded initiative designed to increase the energy generated from renewable sources in the heat sector. The scheme is open to commercial, industrial, agricultural, district heating, public sector and other non-domestic heat users.

Teagasc horticulture development department in association with Farm Energy Centre (FEC) in the UK, Ebtech and WoodCO recently held a seminar ‘Transforming your business with renewable heat’ at Teagasc Ashtown. This one-day event set about demonstrating how biomass can benefit the horticultural industry and provide delegates with knowledge and experience gained by working within the RHI scheme of England, Scotland and Wales. The event was aimed at the horticulture industry and included a visit to a local grower, Kilmoon nurseries who by kind permission gave us a practical insight into biomass use during a site visit.

While the scheme has not opened yet for biomass applications, it is expected to do so before the end of the year. The scheme will provide ongoing operational support on a tiered basis to adopters of the renewable heat source. Seminar proceedings are available at: www.teagasc.ie/publications. ✽