Growing uncertainty around energy, fuel and fertiliser must not be allowed to develop into a food security crisis, Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers' Association (ICSA) rural development chair Edmond Phelan has warned.

Speaking ahead of Budget 2027, Phelan said farmers were increasingly being forced to consider whether they could afford to plant crops, secure fertiliser and fuel machinery through the harvest.

“We have seen how quickly international events can affect the price and availability of fuel and other essential inputs,” he said.

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“Farmers are now asking themselves whether they can afford to plant, whether they will be able to get fertiliser and whether they will have the fuel needed to harvest the crop.”

Phelan said the situation represented a serious risk to food security, particularly if farmers begin reducing production because of concerns over input costs and the viability of their businesses.

“If farmers start cutting back on production because they cannot see a viable return or because they are worried about the availability and cost of inputs, concerns about food security can become a self-fulfilling prophecy.

“We cannot afford to weaken our food production capacity at a time of growing uncertainty around energy, fuel and fertiliser supplies.”

Importance of domestic food production

Phelan said the current energy crisis should act as a “wake-up call” for Government and highlight the importance of maintaining a strong domestic food production sector.

“Europe is already heavily dependent on other countries and international partners for energy and security.

“Ireland is part of that European system and we cannot allow ourselves to become dependent on other countries for our food supply as well.”

He said Ireland had a strong farming sector and that Irish farmers played an important role in the wider European food system, but warned that productive capacity could not be taken for granted.

“Once productive farms are lost, we cannot simply switch that production back on when the next international crisis comes along.”

Budget 2027 action

Phelan said Budget 2027 must recognise the importance of keeping farmers in production and address the pressures being created by high fuel, fertiliser and other input costs.

He said farmers needed to have a viable income from food production and should not be forced to make production decisions based on whether they could afford the inputs required to grow and harvest crops.

“Farmers should not have to make decisions about whether to produce food based on whether they can afford the fuel to put it in the ground or the fertiliser to grow it,” he said.

“We should be strengthening our food production capacity, not putting it at risk.

“Food security is national security and Budget 2027 needs to reflect that.”