One of Ireland’s largest brassica growers is to stop growing at the end of this season as it is no longer economic to continue.
JCR Lenehan of Garlow Cross, Co. Meath is a third generation farming business that grows up to 100 acres of Brussels sprouts and 150 acres of cabbage for most of the retailers in the country, making them the second-largest sprout grower in the country.
“Every year our net margin was being clipped, going down, down, down,” Cathal Lenehan, who runs the business with his brother Rory, told The Irish Examiner. “Vegetables and fruit are under-priced. My cabbage on one retailer’s shelf has gone from around €1.39 five years ago to 99c.
“Costs are going up all the time,” he continued. “Fuel is going to be at an all-time high now in the next few weeks, energy has soared up by over 30 per cent, my packaging last year went up over 15 per cent, this year it’s gone up over another 15 per cent. “My fertiliser, this year, is to go up by 100 per cent. And possibly, as the season goes on, up to 150 per cent I’m told – but I’m not waiting for that opportunity to find out.
“We’ve become as efficient as we can, we’ve cut corners wherever we can that we didn’t compromise the crop or the quality, we’re not big spenders on machinery. In terms of confidence going into the industry, it’s at an all-time low; growers are on the ropes.”
Mr Lenehan stressed that the business is in a position where it can pay redundancy and settle any outstanding accounts. “We’re in a situation now where we can go out with our heads held high,” he added.
More on this story can be found in the April issue of The Vegetable Farmer.