A government-appointed committee on Irish horticulture has recommended that labour costs in the sector be brought into line with those in the UK.
The minimum wage for Irish horticulture workers is €9.10 an hour, while the comparable UK rate, the committee claims, is the equivalent of €6.70, a difference of 26 per cent. Such a differential in a labour-intensive sector undermines competitiveness, according to the committee, and puts growers at a major disadvantage in exports to the UK and in meeting the challenge of imports.
In a report presented to horticulture minister Shane McEntee, the committee calls for the abolition of joint labour committees, made up of union and employer representatives, that currently determine agricultural wage levels, and for minimum labour rates to be brought in that are “in line with key competitor countries”. It also expresses concern at “the dominant role of supermarkets in dictating the price and quantities of produce marketed”, and urges the introduction of a statutory code of practice for the retail trade, to be policed by an ombudsman.
Keelings Group, Silverfort Mushrooms, L&K Dunne and Bord Bia are among those on the committee. In its report, it suggests a 50 per cent limit on the shelf space allocated to own brand products “to enable local producers to compete on better terms”, and the reintroduction of a ban on below-cost selling, including fresh produce.
McEntee expressed broad support for the proposals, which will now be considered by government.
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