There is a possibility that a new plan for Ireland's agri-food industry could create 4,000 employment opportunities in the country.

This is according to taoiseach Brian Cowen, who suggested the sector has a key role to play in the country's recovery from the recession.

Mr Cowen made the comments as he launched the Food Harvest 2020 report, adding that exports of goods and services will drive forward economic growth in the future and produce further employment in other areas.

The document contains a series of proposals for the coming decade of Ireland's agri-food, fisheries, drinks and forestry industries and sets a series of targets for them.

"At a time perhaps in the last decade when we've seen employment reduced by 1,500 in the agri-food sector, we see the prospect of 3,500 to 4,000 jobs being created by 2020 under these plans," the Irish premier declared.

Ireland's unemployment rate rose between May and June 2010 by 0.2 percentage points to 13.4 per cent.

Posted by Alex Donnell