There were plenty of conversations at Balmoral Show over the low farmgate prices for milk, beef and sheep in particular.

All three sectors are going through difficult times as farmers’ returns have not matched input costs.

Despite this, companies exhibiting at Balmoral Show were upbeat about the future, especially with regard to innovative product ranges and where they produce value added products which command higher prices at the retail end.

Michael Hanley, chief executive of Lakeland Dairies which reported strong sales and profits recently, said there was continued interest among farmers in Northern Ireland supplying the co-operative. Lakeland are strong exporters of products.

While few potatoes are grown in Fermanagh, the state of the potato industry is important to the economy of Northern Ireland both in terms of plant breeding and home market and export sales.

Wilson’s Country, one of the leading firms supplying supermarkets and independents with potatoes are trying to convince consumers of the benefits of the humble spud by improving varieties, packaging, and more importantly, more convenient ways of cooking them.

Managing Director, Lewis Cunningham, was promoting the new microwave bags on the company’s stand, “You Say Potato.” By midweek, around 80 per cent of this year’s crop had been planted with the remainder due in before the end of this month.

Lewis explained how Maris Piper is now one of their big sellers, along with the locally bred Navan. He said this year’s first earlies from the Comber area will not be expected before the end of June, due to the cold spring.

Wilson’s Country was one of the innovative stands in the Food Pavilion, one of the big attractions at Balmoral Show.

Another were local farmers, John and Eileen Hall who run Cavanagh Free Range Eggs from their 35,000 bird poultry farm at Newtownbutler.

They were delighted to receive a Great Taste Award for their eggs and are now the only egg producer in Ireland to hold this award. They sell to shops from Belleek to Belfast and also to restaurants and hotels including Lough Erne Resort.

One of the major outdoor attractions was the Lely live robotic milking display using 40 cows from Draynes farm near Lisburn. Jim Irwin, who runs the Lely Center at Eglish, told The Impartial Reporter about exciting developments over the next month or two. Lely will be supplying their 200th robotic milking system in Northern Ireland with one farm from Co. Antrim, about to install eight robotic milkers during June and July, their biggest single order to date. They had previously installed five on one farm.

There were plenty of conversations at Balmoral Show over the low farmgate prices for milk, beef and sheep in particular.

All three sectors are going through difficult times as farmers’ returns have not matched input costs.

Despite this, companies exhibiting at Balmoral Show were upbeat about the future, especially with regard to innovative product ranges and where they produce value added products which command higher prices at the retail end.

Michael Hanley, chief executive of Lakeland Dairies which reported strong sales and profits recently, said there was continued interest among farmers in Northern Ireland supplying the co-operative. Lakeland are strong exporters of products.

While few potatoes are grown in Fermanagh, the state of the potato industry is important to the economy of Northern Ireland both in terms of plant breeding and home market and export sales.

Wilson’s Country, one of the leading firms supplying supermarkets and independents with potatoes are trying to convince consumers of the benefits of the humble spud by improving varieties, packaging, and more importantly, more convenient ways of cooking them.

Managing Director, Lewis Cunningham, was promoting the new microwave bags on the company’s stand, “You Say Potato.” By midweek, around 80 per cent of this year’s crop had been planted with the remainder due in before the end of this month.

Lewis explained how Maris Piper is now one of their big sellers, along with the locally bred Navan. He said this year’s first earlies from the Comber area will not be expected before the end of June, due to the cold spring.

Wilson’s Country was one of the innovative stands in the Food Pavilion, one of the big attractions at Balmoral Show.

Another were local farmers, John and Eileen Hall who run Cavanagh Free Range Eggs from their 35,000 bird poultry farm at Newtownbutler.

They were delighted to receive a Great Taste Award for their eggs and are now the only egg producer in Ireland to hold this award. They sell to shops from Belleek to Belfast and also to restaurants and hotels including Lough Erne Resort.

One of the major outdoor attractions was the Lely live robotic milking display using 40 cows from Draynes farm near Lisburn. Jim Irwin, who runs the Lely Center at Eglish, told The Impartial Reporter about exciting developments over the next month or two. Lely will be supplying their 200th robotic milking system in Northern Ireland with one farm from Co. Antrim, about to install eight robotic milkers during June and July, their biggest single order to date. They had previously installed five on one farm.