Agri Food Regulator

The chair of the Agri-Food Regulator has written to the minister stating it requires powers of compellability to do its job.

Failure by some to give the regulator information required triggers a request to the minister for extended powers.

The regulator has sought the power to compel players in the agri-food supply chain to turnover information to the office, as it is currently only able to ask for this data.

The chair of the regulator has written to Minister McConalogue seeking an update to the agri-food supply chain transparency law.

The regulator did not comment on whether it will play a role in cases where retailers suggest vegetables are of Irish origin in-store, when packaging states they are from overseas.

A number of retailers have not provided data requested by the Agri-Food Regulator in relation to the egg supply chain.

The Agri-Food Regulator now knows what it must be like for farmers to deal with the retailers.

Lidl is the only major retailer in Ireland facing a critical shortage of eggs, as they refuse to pay a realistic price to obtain them, IFA poultry chair Nigel Sweetnam has said.