The Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries & Food, Mary Coughlan, has said that despite the uncertainty about the world economy, the prospects for global agricultural demand are good.
Speaking at the AGM of the Irish Farmers Association in Dublin, Ms Coughlan said increasing demand for feed, food and fuel have led to increased international prices.
Biofuel production, she said, has contributed to the changing world food equation.
Ms Coughlan said there is a significant shift taking place in perceptions about the role of agriculture and food production. She said farming would continue to make a vital contribution to the Irish economy.
There may be short-term difficulties in certain areas, she conceded, but the overall outlook is good.
The minister said she is particularly worried about recent exchanges in the world trade talks which contain difficult proposals for European agriculture.
She said a serious look is needed at the whole negotiating strategy, as the current approach is not working in the interests of the EU.
Ms Coughlan also said she has concerns about aspects of the so-called health check of the Common Agricultural Policy which is currently under way.
While a major reform of the CAP is not envisaged, the minister said Europe must be careful to respect the importance of the CAP and not undermine it in any way.
