Forestry companies, foresters and timber processors all agree that a viable forestry programme requires a sustained, viable afforestation programme. In recent years, strategic plans for forestry all identify 10,000ha as the minimum annual planting target.

The Food Wise 2025 strategy aims to increase the roundwood harvest to 4.6 million m3 by 2025, a level of production that would provide the industry with the economies of scale to begin to create an international-scale forestry and forest products sector.

Forestry has not a divine right as a land use option and has to compete with other farming and non-farming enterprises, but the incentives are attractive as timber prices have held up remarkably over the years.

However, forest owners need support during the non-productive phase and they continue to receive this from the State. Currently, the State covers all forest establishment costs, as high as €5,750/ha (Table 1). In addition, annual tax-free premium payments provide an income to the forest owner to cover the unproductive phase of the forest for the first 15 years (Table 2). This income varies between €185/ha and €635/ha with the most popular scheme GPC (grant premium category) 3 generating €510/ha. When the forest reaches production, roading grants are available

Other factors may also influence the decision to plant. For example non-farmers, leasing land and farmers who availed of the Early Retirement Scheme are now eligible for the forestry programme. Eligible land under the Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) that is afforested under the Forestry Programme 2014-2020 can be used to activate BPS entitlements.