INCREASED DEMAND FOR WHISKEY GOOD NEWS FOR CO. WEXFORD FARMERS
A surge in global demand for whiskey will mean an increase in demand for one of County Wexford’s main products malting barley.
That’s according to Bunclody farmer Willie Masterson who yesterday addressed the Oireachtas Joint Committee of Agriculture about the contribution the drinks industry makes to agriculture.
He said there were over 35-thousand tonnes of malting barley sold to the industry by farmers in County Wexford last year – 500 of which came from his farm.
A surge in whiskey demand from all over the world is expected to double exports by 2020 and double those exports again by 2030.
He says an increase in demand for the ingredients they provide would give much needed security for farms like his.
The group which addressed yesterday’s oireachtas committee was made up of those from the farming, distilling and representatives from the Drinks Industry Group of Ireland.
They warned that despite an increase in demand for whiskey the current level of execise tax put future growth at risk, impacting on jobs, tourism and hard pressed Irish consumers.
