Sweet solution,Farmers agree on pay increase
Farmers have voted to accept a deal ending their three-week-old dispute with the Irish Sugar Company over beet prices. The ballot clears the way for production to resume at the Carlow and Mallow factories early next week.
A settlement plan to end the growers' withdrawal of beet supplies was put forward yesterday by the Tánaiste, Mary Harney, and the Minister for Agriculture, Joe Walsh. Growers will receive an extra €1.50 per tonne of beet this year. Next year, there is provision for another €0.90 per tonne, depending on the quality of beet.
The plan was recommended by the IFA leader, Tom Parlon, and was accepted early this morning at a meeting of 500 growers in Cahir in County Tipperary.
