The numbers behind Ireland’s agri-food imports are just as stark as the recent figures to emerge from climate agencies on the impacts of extreme weather events, President Catherine Connolly told farmers at the 2026 National Ploughing Championships in Screggan, Co Offaly.

Launching the three-day event on Tuesday, President Connolly referenced last week’s report from the Climate Change Advisory Council that Ireland remains dependent on outside sources for the vast majority of fresh fruit and vegetables, as the country's domestic horticulture sector is left dwindling as a cause for concern.

The horticulture grower numbers cited by the President came as she warned that extreme weather events such as drought will worsen if policymakers delay the implementation of climate measures.

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“Among those recommendations and observations, they said Ireland’s food supply and distribution is highly dependent on imports and vulnerable to a range of external disruptions and risks, including conflict and the impacts of extreme weather on inputs and supply chains,” President Connolly said.

“This vulnerability is brought into acute focus by the figures that speak for themselves. The number of commercial vegetable growers on the island of Ireland has fallen to fewer than 70, down from over 600 in the 1990s.

“Approximately 83% of our fruit and vegetable consumed in Ireland are imported and we also continue to export 90% of the food produced in this country.

“I think we can all agree that this requires urgent attention.”

Climate calls

President Connolly drew attention to last week’s report from the UN that the most optimistic modelling scenario predicts average global temperatures rising 1.8°C.

“Unfortunately, the ploughing championships this year take place against unprecedented global heating due to climate change causing the extreme weather we are seeing all around us,” attendees heard.

“Every fraction of a degree intensifies extreme weather events,” she warned.

“No doubt, the heat and the drought has affected the lives and livelihoods of many of you here today.”

The warning came with deep criticism of policy moves that “delayed and reversed action” on climate issues, as she warned that ignoring the warnings on global warming puts the future in “peril”.

“Significantly - and it is important to highlight it - as a country, we were at the forefront in declaring a climate and biodiversity emergency seven years ago now in 2019.

“That declaration was accompanied by a commitment to take transformative action.

“Regrettably, the stark statistics coming from a wide range of resources tell us that action has not taken place,” the President commented, adding that a well-resourced push for “transformative change” with farmers at its centre is needed to enable food security.