Crops

Field and Horticultural Crops

Services to crop producers are designed to maximise profits and exploit opportunities for development. In addition to an annual advisory contract, producers can now participate in Discussion Groups, avail of REPS planning & support services, have a financial appraisal carried out on the enterprise or business and avail of a wide range of analytical services.

For Cereal Farmers

The Teagasc tillage advisory service aims to produce cereal grain at €83 per tonne through using the latest information from research to optimise yields and reduce costs.

With our close links to research and the processing industry, non cereal combinable crops are continually being evaluated. Oilseed rape, linseed, peas and beans have been shown to be useful break crops in cereal rotations. Lupins and fibre from hemp are showing promise.

Discussion Groups and Monitor Farms are in place in the main tillage areas. Each year we produce a comprehensive tillage advisory programme. Regular Tillage newsletters, Crop Reports, Factsheets and Harvest Reports are produced at the appropriate times of the year. You can reach the Teagasc tillage advisory service at the Teagasc County Office and the Chief Tillage Adviser is Jim O'Mahony, jomahony@kildalton.teagasc.ie

For Beet Growers

The Teagasc tillage advisers, with the backing of an up-to-date research programme and with close links with the Irish Sugar Company and the input trade, provides a complete package for sugar beet and fodder beet growers.

Regular information on crops and developments is carried in the Newsletters, Crop Reports and Harvest Reports.

This service can be accessed through the Tillage Advisers at the Teagasc County Office and the Chief Tillage Adviser is Jim O'Mahony, jomahony@kildalton.teagasc.ie

For Mushroom Growers

Some 600 growers are now producing mushrooms to the value of €114 m annually. To maintain the profitability and efficiency of this industry the Teagasc advisory programme is focused on:

• Achieving an average yield of 475 lb. of mushrooms per tonne of compost throughout the year.
• Training of managers and operators on systems and protocols that will enable the mushrooms to meet the highest food safety assurance standards.

The programme is delivered through a Mushroom Development Team of advisers, researchers and training staff with strong support from the industry.

Mushroom newsletters are issued regularly, farm visits provided and grower walks and conferences organised.

You can reach the Teagasc mushroom advisory service at Teagasc County Office and the Head of the Horticulture Development Unit is lorcan.otoole@teagasc.ie

For Potato Growers

Growing high yields of saleable high quality potatoes is the key to profitable production. The Teagasc advisory programme for potatoes concentrates on increasing technical efficiency and the adoption of management practices that will result in an average yield of 40 tonnes per hectare. This must be complemented by ensuring that a continuous supply reaches the market throughout the year from temperature controlled potato stores. The programme is delivered through locally based potato crop advisers with the support of Specialists and research staff. Newsletters provide regular information together with farm visits, farm walks, conferences, seminars and Discussion Groups.

For Fruit Growers

Growing fruit under protection offers new opportunities to fruit growers. Strawberries can now be produced independently of weather conditions from April to October. The key factors to profitability are skilled efficient production under polythene structures together with group marketing of a continuous supply of fruit. Further market outlets have been identified. Fruit newsletters are issued at the appropriate times of the year.

For further information contact harry.obrien@teagasc.ie or eamonn.kehoe@.teagasc.ie

For Hardy Nursery Stock Producers

Three hundred growers with some 1,000 people employed are producing €32 m of plants in nurseries. This industry has been identified as having potential to develop further. To achieve this potential the nurseries must achieve higher levels of output per labour unit deployed and develop more sophisticated marketing services.

The advisory programme is delivered through a Nursery Stock Development Team of advisers, researchers and training staff. Regular Newsletters are issued, farm visits from expert advisers are available together with Discussion Groups, conferences and seminars. You can reach the Teagasc nursery stock service through Teagasc County Office and for queries on nursery stock contact lorcan.otoole@teagasc.ie

For Vegetable Growers

Specialisation, increased scale of production and mechanisation are necessary for long term, sustainable and profitable vegetable production. The Teagasc vegetable growing advisory service is focused on increasing the technical efficiency of the specialist producers through improved crop planning, better husbandry techniques and integrating mechanisation into the production cycle. This is linked to the training of growers in a Integrated Crop Management (ICM) system which produces crops with a minimum level of spraying.

Newsletters, grower walks, farm visits and seminars are all part of the advisory programme for vegetable growers. You can reach the Teagasc vegetable growing advisory service through Teagasc County Office.