Deputy Hoctor and Minister Smith visit Arrabawn Co-Op, Nenagh

Minister for Agriculture, Brendan Smith and local TD, Máire Hoctor visited the Arrabawn plant at Nenagh on last Thursday 29th October.

Minister Smith said that he was particularly pleased to have the opportunity to meet with the respective senior management teams and board members and ground floor staff of Arrabawn during his visit.

Deputy Hoctor was instrumental in securing the €6.84 million grant which supported the development of a €17.1 million Whey, SMP and Butter projects, which will enable the company to expand its portfolio of dairy products, as well as entering new market sectors because of the improved quality of its existing products.

After a lengthy discussion with the Arrabawn Executive and Deputy Hoctor, Minister Smith visited the plant and met with the staff to see at first hand the benefits of the dairy fund to the Stafford Street plant.

Arrabawn Co-Op is among the companies which are benefiting from the Government’s €114 million Dairy Investment Fund, which is supporting 19 capital investment projects and is focused on improving the efficiency and of the main dairy outputs by supporting the upgrading of existing plant and buildings to capture new business and/or develop new added value products.

“It is critically important for Tipperary’s agri-food industry to diversify the range of products that can be brought to the market” said Deputy Hoctor “the continued success of the industry depends on responding to the needs of the very competitive national and international markets that companies like Arrabawn Co-op aim their business” she said.

“The past year has been a very difficult period for the food industry but the Government is focused on supporting companies to break into new markets and to develop existing one”.

“One of the best ways to support the agri-foods industry is to ensure that the best and most efficient methods are used to produce foods produces. The industry is working on producing top-quality high-value food products which may help Irish food producers to gain better returns for their goods”.

Minister Smith also visited Rosderra Irish Meats Group in Roscrea, Ireland’s largest producer of Pigmeat which accounting for approximately 50 per cent of the Irish pigmeat industry.

Deputy Hoctor praised both companies for their success and stresses with the Minister their importance for the continued provision of local employment into the future.