Northern Irish Agriculture Minister, Michelle Gildernew has indicated that the industry must innovate if it is to survive without government funding.

"The horticultural sector has had to be innovative in looking for new opportunities to help survive in an industry without subsidies,” she said, addressing a meeting in Co. Armagh, “My department are supporting this innovation through on-going research programmes at both CAFRE and AFBI.''

Gildernew visited the Gilfresh Produce family business at Loughgall, Wilson's Country Foods in Portadown and Shane Donnelly's Greenisland Flower business at Maghery, near Portadown.

Speaking at Wilson's Country Foods during her visit, she commended the company's use of ICT in conjunction with the College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE).

"Wilson's new system to allow growers to record their information online centrally will be of great benefit to all of their growers and will help keep the local industry one step ahead in the market,'' she commented.

The horticulture industry in Northern Ireland has received almost £12 million under the EU Processing and Marketing Grant Scheme. The three companies visited have received approximately £2.2 million from 1997 until the present.

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