The Irish Grain Growers (IGG) group said that the targeted intervention package for the tillage sector must be available quickly, as tillage farmers begin to plant spring crops.

The announcement by Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue was welcomed by the group, as it recognises the "immense importance" of tillage farming in Ireland.

A spokesperson from the group said: "The Minister's swift action must be recognised to have a package available so quickly."

The spokesperson said that IGG's message has always been that there needs to be more tillage in Ireland.

Targets

This, they said, will help meet national climate change targets, as well as providing security of fully traceable supply of native Irish grain and legumes for the country.

"The cull of Irish tillage acreage in recent decades has the Government taking avoidable action today.

"We must highlight the fact that the current CAP reform plan is penalising full-time productive tillage farming going forward from what information the Department of Agriculture has made available," the spokesperson said.

Contrast

The group argued that the CAP contrasts with this week's announcement where the increase of tillage is being urgently encouraged, adding that Ireland's CAP plan "needs revisiting".

"The current war has opened many eyes on how we produce our food and how dependant we are on imports, including GM grains.

"Today is one step forward. However, it does little to alleviate the financial strains on current tillage production, whether it is hard-sought, expensive fertiliser and diesel or the extremely stretched credit facilities many have to negotiate presently," they said.

The spokesperson said that farmers need many more steps to be taken by Government and the industry in general to make tillage farming more profitable.

"There are routes to do so. It's the most obvious way to increase our tillage land base.

"With current costs and the financial gamble tillage farmers have to take this year, we need a good harvest now more than ever," they said.