Sir, - So the IFA President, Mr John Donnelly, is objecting to supermarkets in this country selling imported food rather than Irish-grown produce (The Irish Times, September 10th). I absolutely agree: buying local produce supports local producers and communities and, other things being equal, is also kinder for the environment.
Furthermore, if we are including meat and meat products, local rearing, production and slaughter is much better for the welfare of the animals concerned - a strong argument for eliminating the export of live cattle to distant markets, I would suggest!But there is no point in applying these standards selectively. Perhaps we should also encourage all those countries to which we export farm produce to also support their own local producers over foreign ones - Irish, for example?While we are at it, perhaps Mr Donnelly could explain why, at the few agricultural shows I have attended in Ireland in recent years, including the Cork Summer Show, the majority of fast-food outlets appear to use imported (mostly Dutch) potatoes and precut chips, rather than Irish-grown tatties? - Yours, etc.,Darius Bartlett,Midleton,Co Cork.