Social, Economic and Cultural Profile of County Clare
lHome | Search Library Catalogue | Search this Website | Copyright Notice
Clare County Library

The Economy of Clare - Agriculture and the Rural Sector in County Clare

This section examines the contribution and importance of the agricultural sector for County Clare. It also highlights the structural features of the sector. County Clare has a total area of 318,784 hectares with 203,450 hectares suitable for agriculture*. While two thirds of the land is usable for agricultural purposes, the National Soil Survey classifies only 29% as being 'good' for grassland**.
  • Map 18 - Proportion farming by DED
  • Map 19 - Proportion of small farms by DED

Value of Primary Production to the Economy of Clare
The value of agriculture, forestry and fishing as a percentage of the total GVA in Clare is almost twice that of the corresponding percentages for both the Mid-West region and for Ireland as a whole***. It is estimated by Teagasc staff in Clare that agriculture is worth approximately £100 million to the Clare economy in 2001.
Table 4.7: Estimates of Gross Value Added (GVA) in Agriculture, Forestry & Fishing by County, 1996
County/Region £ Million % of Total GVA
Clare 79.9 9.5
Ireland 1,922 4.8
Dublin 52 0.3
Mid-West Region 146 4.6
Source: WDC,1999

Number of Persons at Work
In 1996, just over 16% of all those working in Clare were engaged in agriculture, forestry or fishing. There was a 3.0% drop in the numbers engaged in agriculture, forestry or fishing between 1991 and 1996.
Table 4.8: Persons at work in agriculture, forestry & fishing by county and region, 1996
County/Region Persons at work in 1996 % of total persons at work Average annual % change - 1991 - '96
Clare 5,571 16.1 -3.0
Ireland 133,969 10.2 -2.7
Source: WDC, 1999

The accompanying maps show the proportion of the population who are engaged in farming and who are classified as small farmers and where they are located by DeD****.
Map 18 shows that farming as a livelihood is concentrated in the western and northern DeDs.
Map 19 shows that small farmers are concentrated particularly in the southwestern parts of the County.

Number of Holdings
The total number of farm holdings in County Clare declined from 12,500 in 1970 to 8,200 in 1991. The most significant decline was in the period 1980-1991 when the number of farms of less than 50 acres fell from 7,200 to 3,800; a 52.78% reduction. These numbers have been rounded off to the nearest hundred. The following graph shows the distribution of farms by size, based on the 1991 Agricultural Census.
Figure 4.9: Percentage of holdings classified by holding size in acres in Clare, 1991
Over 200

100-200

50-100

30-50

15-30

5-15

1-5
 
Source: CSO, 1991

Farm Size
Table 4.9 shows that the number of farms in Clare in 1995 was 7,572. The average farm size was slightly less than the national average farm size.
County/Region No. of Farms Area Farmed
Hectares		 Average Farm Size -
Hectares
Clare 7,572 208,956 27.6
Ireland 153,418 4,325,409 28.2
Source: WDC, 1999

Farm Type
The majority of farms in Clare concentrate on beef production followed by dairying. The farm economy of the County is characterised by a relatively high reliance of small-scale dairy production in comparison to the rest of Ireland.
Table 4.10: Profile of Farms by Type for County Clare and Ireland.
Type of Farm
% Farms
  Clare Ireland
Specialist Tillage 0.1 29.5
Specialist Dairying 28.9 24.4
Specialist Beef Production 59.2 42.1
Specialist Sheep 1.3 8.8
Mixed Grazing Livestock 10 17.9
Mixed Crops and Livestock 0.2 2.5
Other 0.4 1.4
Source: WDC, 1999

The dominance of cattle in the economy of Clare is also evident in the relative comparisons between the numbers of sheep and cattle as shown in Table 4.11.
Table 4.11: Livestock Numbers in County Clare.
Total Cattle 360,200
Total Sheep 146,700
Source: CSO County Analysis for 1997

Number of Farmers in REPS
As of autumn 2000, there were 2,640 landowners in the Rural Environmental Protection Scheme (REPS) in County Clare. The number of applicants in the Scheme of Early Retirement from Farming was 455. Both figures relate to the number of applicants received up to 31st December 1999. At the beginning of 1997, approximately one in every 6 farmers was in REPS and by the end of 1998 this had increased to one in every 3 farmers*****.

Milk Production in County Clare
Twenty nine percent of farmers in Clare have a dairy enterprise and milk production generates £30 million per annum for its dairy farm households. However, although Clare has 5% of Ireland's dairy farmers, it only has 2.5% of its milk pool. This is due to the relatively small size of its dairy units when compared with the national profile. In 1996, just under 2,000 dairy farmers in the County supplied four milk processors; Golden Vale plc, Kerry Group plc, Nenagh Co-op and Dairygold Co-op. However, for the 1996/97 milk-quota year, just over three-quarters of dairy farmers in Clare supplied Golden Vale plc. In 2001, Teagasc staff have estimated that the number of full-time dairy farmers in Clare has fallen to approximately 1,500.
Table 4.12: Dairy farmers in Clare and Ireland by milk supply categories (1996)
Milk Supply Category County Clare (n=2,000) Ireland (n=37,000)
<20,000 gallons 75% 44%
20,000 - 35,000 gallons 18% 28%
35,000+ gallons 7% 28%
Source: County Clare Partnership Dairy Action - Research Programme 1997-1999

There is no large-scale dairy processing in Clare as all of the dairy product leaves the County in unprocessed form (e.g. milk from Golden Vale suppliers is processed in Charleville, County Cork).

Marts in Clare
The total numbers of cattle and calves sold in 1999 through the Clare Marts were 105,000. Total numbers of sheep sold were 26,000. Clare Marts have centres at Ennis, Kilrush, Ennistymon and Scariff. There are small private marts in Kilfenora and in Sixmilebridge. It is estimated that the Clare Marts group would handle well over 75% to 90% of all animals sold. There are no large abattoirs or meat processing plants in Clare.

Tillage in Clare
Table 4.13 shows the total tillage area in Clare relative to the total area of grassland and tillage.
Table 4.13: Total tillage area in Clare relative to the total area of grassland and tillage.
Total Tillage Area 700 hectares
Total Area of Grassland and Tillage 181,500 hectares
Source: CSO County Analysis for 1997, published in May 1998

Horticulture in Clare
Tables 4.14 shows the economic contribution of horticulture to the Clare economy. A more complete data set can be found in Appendix 2. Horticulture is largely of the market garden type and is primarily located in the south east of the County, where the two primary products produced are mushrooms and nursery stock/flowers.
Table 4.14: Economic Contribution of Horticulture to Clare
Total Value £8 million
Total Employed 170
Source: Teagasc, 2001

Equine Industry in Clare
The following tables illustrate the extent of the equine industry in Clare in 1997.
Table 4.15: Number of Horses, 1997

Total Number of Horses & Ponies in County Clare
3,900
Active Breeding Registered. Mares (all Non-Thoroughbred) in County Clare
363
Source: Teagasc 2001


There are currently 20 Equestrian riding centres in County Clare where all types of equestrian activities are catered for, from riding lessons to trekking, cross country, hunting and livery.

Organic Farming
Clare has a higher number of those engaged in organic farming than any other County. Clare is also the County, which has the highest share of its land farmed organically (2.2% versus 0.7% for the State overall).
Table 4.16: Organic Farming: Numbers of producers by County, 1999

Association
County/Region		 Oct 1992 Dec 1997 Dec 1999
Clare 19 106 104
Ireland 224 817 880
Source: WDC, 2001

Supports for Food Processing
In 1997, the Leader Group in Clare, Rural Resource Development Ltd (RRD), examined methods to develop and promote the food industry in Clare. A brand image "Flavours of Clare" was identified and launched in 1998. This image helped to market Clare's indigenous food companies under the umbrella group and to maximise the effectiveness of any sales, marketing or advertising undertaken by the participant companies. RRD has also supported food enterprises such as sheep's cheese, goat's cheese, farmhouse cheese, a blueberry centre, a bagel bakery and cooked meats.

*Clare County Development Plan, 1999-2004
**Teagasc, 1998
***Western Development Commission, 1999.
****The 1996 Census defined small farms as being less than 30 acres.
*****The County Clare Partnership Dairy Action - Research Programme 1997 - 1999

Back to The Economy of Clare