78. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine in light of warnings from EU farm organisations that the price of EU-produced fertilisers has increased by approximately 25% in the past month compared with the 2024 average, and given that fertilisers account for between 15% and 30% of horticulture farmers’ input costs on average, the steps he is taking to support growers and the horticulture sector who are already facing severe pressure from rising input costs and negative margins across the arable sector for the third consecutive year; and the measures being considered to mitigate the impact of escalating fertiliser prices on the viability of growers and horticultural producers. [20735/26]

Sentiment score: -0.24

We have had warnings from European farm organisations that nitrogen fertiliser imports into the EU have fallen by 80% since the carbon border adjustment mechanism, CBAM. What assessments has the Minister made on the likely consequences it will have for fertiliser prices and the availability for the Irish horticulture industry in 2026? Has he raised the concerns with the European Commission given that growers of fruit, vegetables and protected crops are already under severe cost pressures and further increases to the price of fertiliser due to the conflict in the Middle East could undermine domestic food production?

Sentiment score: -0.41

I accept that we do not know when the war in the Middle East is going to come to a conclusion but does the Minister of State accept or acknowledge that if fertiliser prices rise again - compounded by high gas and fuel inputs - that may make many Irish fruit and vegetable producers unviable? We currently import 83% of our vegetables. This is a food security issue. There were 600 growers 20 years ago and there are 73 now. I am calling for a firm commitment to targeted supports - like the Minister, Deputy Jim O'Callaghan, spoke about in the Dáil yesterday - for the horticultural sector, and a dedicated horticultural crisis fund like we brought in during the spike in prices at the start of the war in Ukraine. The agriculture sector is worth €19 billion, yet the focus in here is always on the beef and dairy sectors - fair play to them, they are well represented. My constituency is where the growers are - the market garden of Ireland in Dublin Fingal West. If we got half the attention the beef sector gets, we would be doing really well. It is time to give the horticulture sector its due to develop the potential it deserves because that is where our real food security lies.

Sentiment score: 0.25

I could not agree more with the Minister of State. We should buy Irish. We should all be looking at that. The horticulture sector is under immense pressure due to conflict and climate change, and costs have rapidly increased over the past 20 years. I have worked in the sector. I know the amount of toil that goes into it. I have picked and packed every fruit and vegetable under the sun at some point in the past 30 years. When we had 54 days of rain in the north county, that did not make it easier to plough or to plant. Welgro produce cucumbers in glasshouses in Rush. It uses gas to heat the glasshouses to grow the vegetables. Its energy costs will go from €200,000 to €400,000 a year if prices remain the same. That is with fertiliser prices on top. This snowballing of costs is not viable. Our growers need support and they need it urgently. I implore the Minister of State to look at introducing a crisis horticulture fund, like we did during the price spike arising from the war in Ukraine.

Sentiment score: -0.05