Ireland Imports Around 83% Of Its Fruit And Vegetables As Growers Face Mounting Pressure

Around 83 per cent of the fruit and vegetables consumed in the Republic of Ireland are imported, putting the future of domestic growing and the resilience of fresh produce supplies firmly in the spotlight.

The estimate, highlighted by the Climate Change Advisory Council and reported by The Irish Times, comes as Ireland’s commercial vegetable grower numbers have fallen from more than 600 in the 1990s to fewer than 70.

However, the import figure requires context. Bord Bia’s senior horticulture manager, Emer Gallahar Hall, told the newspaper that a substantial share of imports comprises produce such as bananas, citrus fruit and Mediterranean crops that cannot be grown commercially in Ireland’s climate.

She also stressed that declining grower numbers should not be interpreted as a proportionate fall in output: vegetable production has become concentrated among fewer, larger and more specialised businesses.

For crops that Ireland can grow, strengthening domestic supply means addressing the economics of production.

Teagasc’s Horticulture Crop Input Prices 2026 report found that average horticultural production costs rose by 3.9 per cent between January 2025 and January 2026. Vegetable input costs increased by 4.7 per cent, while labour accounted for approximately 43.4 per cent of total production costs across horticulture.

The authority says growers need prices that reflect production and investment costs, alongside longer-term trading relationships to support spending on automation and labour-saving technology.

Climate pressures add to the challenge. Teagasc’s assessment of the 2026 drought recorded yield and quality losses of 25–40 per cent in unirrigated vegetable crops. Some growers with irrigation spent more than €2,700 per hectare on water alone, before equipment and infrastructure costs.

Only 30–35 per cent of Ireland’s vegetable production area has sufficient irrigation capacity. Comparable drought conditions and water restrictions also affected growers in the UK and Europe, demonstrating that overseas suppliers face climate pressures too.

Succession is another obstacle. North County Dublin organic grower Jenny McNally told The Irish Times that some producers leave the sector because nobody is available or willing to take over their businesses.

Efforts to support domestic production include a new Horticulture Grower-Retail Charter. Aldi, Dunnes Stores, Lidl, Marks & Spencer, SuperValu/Centra and Tesco have committed to principles covering fair engagement, longer-term relationships, recognition of production costs, promotion of Irish produce and reduced food waste.

The Irish Farmers’ Association says those commitments must translate into stronger confidence for growers to remain in production and invest.