New scheme launched to support agri-food and drink processors

A £46 million agri-food investment initiative has been launched by the Department for the Economy.

The initiative has been designed to help improve the overall competitiveness and productivity of the agri-food and drink processing sector in Northern Ireland.

Developed by Invest Northern Ireland, the initiative was launched by Economy Minister Conor Murphy, who spoke at an event attended by businesses and stakeholders for the agri-food and drink sector.

“Agri-Food processing makes a significant contribution to local communities throughout the region, and especially to rural communities,” said the Minister.

“By targeting support to this sector, this scheme will promote regional balance. The capital investment will help companies adopt greener technologies, and so contribute to our net zero targets. Importantly, the scheme also aims to increase the sector’s productivity.”

Kieran Donoghue, CEO Invest Northern Ireland added: “The aim of this new Initiative is to improve the overall competitiveness of Northern Ireland’s agri-food and drink processing sector. To this end, we are particularly seeking projects which are innovative and demonstrate how they will improve the productivity and sustainability of the business.

“The Initiative is now open to applications from all eligible agri-food and drink processors in Northern Ireland, and I encourage businesses in the sector to avail of this significant opportunity to invest for future growth. As well as providing efficiency and productivity benefits directly to the business, we also expect investments through this Initiative to have a positive impact on the agri-food supply chain across rural areas.”

Full details on eligibility, the support available and how to apply is available at https://bit.ly/3zVLaW4