A food and agri-business conference has revealed that 3,000 jobs were created last year in the industry.
The conference has said that the jobs were largely filled by young people entering farming and by new employment in small businesses.
However, Friends First Chief Economist Jim Power has said that because of price volatility and greater competition, he urged farmers and investors to be cautious and to devise careful business plans, despite the increased confidence and optimism on the ground.
CEO of Carroll Cuisine Mark Gavin has said it scares him to see people with marketing degrees emigrating from Ireland.
He said that the Government must help the establishment of a two-year fellowship programme to give graduates experience in the food industry.
The Fine Gael MEP Mairead McGuinness said there is a commitment at Government level to the agri-business sector, and a willingness to keep young people in Ireland.
The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Simon Coveney emphasised the need for a strong, national brand for Irish food.
He said that Irish food companies need greater co-operation, competition and consolidation to compete effectively against larger global competitors.
Minister Coveney said that the opportunities arising from the end of milk quotas in 2015 must be fully capitalised on.
The Minister said that Ireland is one of only a few countries with scope for large expansion after the abolition of quotas.
He also said there were great opportunities for development in the fisheries sector.
Bord Bía chief executive Aidan Cotter, has said that there has been significant convergence between EU and world prices for food.
Aidan Cotter said that with European prices no longer much more expensive, that there were great opportunities because the world is going to have to produce 40% more food in the next few decades.
He pointed to the global scarcity of water and noted that some industrialists view the production of food for use as fuel as immoral.
Mr Cotter said there should sometimes be more focus on consumers, but believed the Irish food sector is making significant progress to ensure that the food industry succeeds in the future.
