Carrick audience told of importance of exporting
Carrickfergus Rotary Club welcomed John Hood, Director of Food and Tourism for Invest NI, as guest speaker to its recent meeting.
Mr Hood spoke about the work of Invest NI which has a budget of £180m, of which about £150m is used to support small businesses involved in export. The main drive, he explained, is to develop the economy through helping profitable exporting businesses.
In focusing on the food sector, Mr Hood pointed out that the produce from farming is the highest standard in the UK but most of it is exported to the mainland. For NI producers the challenge is to extend their market further afield. He cited some notable exporting successes including Bushmills Whisky which is a brand name world wide
Rotarian Stanley McAloney thanked Mr Hood for shedding a light on the work of Invest NI and on it efforts to extend the export potential of the agri-food industry.