Ireland’s heavy reliance on imported fruit and vegetables leaves the national food system vulnerable to climate disruptions overseas, the Climate Change Advisory Council (CCAC) warned in a report published on Wednesday.

According to the agriculture and land use chapter of the council's Annual Review 2026, approximately 83% of fruit and vegetables consumed in Ireland are imported. The advisory body highlighted that crop failures abroad driven by extreme weather events, such as heatwaves, severe droughts, and intense flooding, pose direct risks of supply disruptions and price shocks for Irish consumers.

The review noted that domestic production has contracted sharply in recent decades, driven by retail pricing pressures, high start-up costs, labour shortages, and international competition. Fewer than 70 commercial vegetable growers currently operate in Ireland, down from more than 600 in the 1990s.

To strengthen national food security, the CCAC recommended that the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine review existing support schemes for the horticulture sector to encourage increased domestic production. The council also urged the department to develop and deploy a parcel-level climate risk toolkit within 12 months to help farmers better evaluate extreme weather risks affecting their specific land.

CCAC chairperson Alex White stated that farmers are increasingly forced to navigate compounding weather extremes, ranging from prolonged wet periods to sudden dry spells. He called for a shift away from treating individual weather events as isolated crises, advocating instead for long-term practical advice, financial support, and resilient farming practices.

In addition to food security concerns, the council pointed out that the agricultural sector missed its target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 10% by 2025, warning that accelerated policy action will be required to meet 2030 climate targets.