Galway farmers looking to grow more vegetables and reduce a reliance in Ireland on imports.
Some vegetables which are not grown in Ireland will always have to be imported but many more could be grown here locally.
Galway farmers have now engaged in a campaign to make the county self-sufficient, thereby cutting out or reducing the need to import vegetables.
Dick O'Gorman explains that this is a national problem and there needs to be more emphasis on growing vegetables locally. He is also critical of the quality of many of the imports.
We're importing far more from other countries than we should be importing.
Galway has 20,000 farmers but hey have never grown enough vegetables. With the assistance of EEC money and advice from the new agricultural training council, ACOT, intensive horticultural courses are being held in Galway and around the country. Farmer Johnny Mahoney says this course was a great help to him and a way to connect with other growers to organise their production. He is one of 14 young farmers from Galway who have received special EEC certificates having successfully completed a 23 day course in vegetable growing.
An RTÉ News report broadcast on 29 September 1980. The reporter is Jim Fahy.
