Dingle Fishery Harbour has become not only a home for good music and marine tourism, but is now due to have its own fresh food market.
Bia Dingle, which is part of the Corca Dhuibhne Food Network in Kerry, has been given a grant of 40,000 euro to establish a year-round market.
The aim of the Bia Dingle Marketplace will be to set up “ a place for food stakeholders to convene, engage, learn and transact”, the organisers based in Baile na nGall, Dingle, state.
The project was one of 16 successful applicants responding to a call from Minister of State for Agriculture, Food and Marine Pippa Hackett for innovative proposals to “maximise the return to primary producers from short supply chains”.
Minister Hackett said: “This call delivered on a number of Programme for Government commitments around promoting short supply chains and premium sustainable markets closer to home for Irish producers.”
“Short supply chains bolster local economies and also contribute to environmental sustainability by reducing transportation emissions,”she said.
“I was very pleased that there were over 90 applications to the call and I want to thank all those who made the effort to apply. 16 successful projects will benefit from funding over the next two years, but the number of applications shows the appetite around the country for projects of this nature and the very many ideas that are out there,”Hackett said.
“The successful projects are diverse, ranging from community allotments and markets to supporting the redistribution of food and reducing waste. We will also see the foundations laid for Ireland’s first ever biodistrict as a result of this funding, and I am looking forward to seeing these projects deliver meaningful results and impetus for change over the next two years. ”
