Bord Bia has launched a campaign to support Irish apple growers, in a bid to reduce the carbon footprint of imports - and improve food security.
Currently, Ireland imports around 95% of all apples sold here.
The semi-State agency with responsibility for food promotion is investing hundreds of thousands of euro in marketing to convince consumers to choose domestically grown apples over imported ones.
The hope is that this will help create a stronger domestic market for Irish-grown apples and encourage the development of more orchards.
One orchard in the Boyne Valley has already bet big on the domestic market taking off.
The McCann family has been in the apple business since the 1960s, but it was only four years ago that they scaled up their operation in anticipation of a spike in business.
The father and son team of Oliver and Kevin started planting the 130-acre site in Louth in 2021.
Among the 3,000 tonnes of apples harvested this year are bramley and golden delicious, however, the McCann's main crop is gala, a variety not commercially grown here at scale for over a decade.
Oliver McCann said it's a variety "that's grown all over the world.
"It hadn't been grown in Ireland, people thought it wouldn't grow here. But here we've got it, and it's working."
This is the largest eating-apple orchard in the country, the core of which was multi-million euro investment.
Kevin McCann said the Boyne Valley orchard was "a big gamble getting it up off the ground successfully, but we've achieved that.
"I think when you look at the statistics of only 5% of the apples consumed here in Ireland grown here, there's a massive, massive opportunity."
The McCanns huge investment in their 130,000-tree orchard means they now have the scale to comfortably supply major retailers.
They work with Tesco, SuperValu, and Dunnes Stores - while also supplying the food-service sector.
Bord Bia sees the McCanns as the template for others to follow, and is investing hundreds of thousands of euro in marketing campaigns in a bid to convince consumers to buy local.
The agency believes this will help reduce food miles, support rural employment, and strengthen Ireland's food security.
Senior Manager for Horticulture with Bord Bia Emer Gallahar Hall said: "We have about 90% to 95% of our apples that are imported, so we're trying to encourage consumers to look for Irish in-store.
"Every Irish apple you buy, it replaces an imported apple. If things go to plan, in season we'd be at a little over 50% to 60% - even up to 90% - of eating-apples in store being Irish, which encourages your community and local growers."
Bord Bia has just completed a €1.5 million EU co-funded marketing campaign (with a spend of €500,000) to promote the enjoyment of fresh, local, and seasonal fruit and vegetables among 25-34-year-olds.
Ms Gallahar Hall said next year it will be spending around €250,000 on another campaign within the domestic market - separate to the EU funding.
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