Monday 15^th September 2008:  Coillte will be promoting two new products at the National Ploughing Championships in County Kilkenny next week. One is an attractive option aimed at those who are considering getting in to forestry,  while the other is for farmers who already have land under forestry and are looking to maximise the return from it.

Here is a sneak preview:

For those thinking of getting in to forestry Coillte can make it very attractive with its new Farm Partnership Scheme:

• The new Farm Partnership Scheme includes an advance payment of up to €1,000 per hectare at the beginning of the scheme, professional management for the life of the crop and the farmer retains ownership of the land.
• Farm Partners can receive a forest premium for up to 20 years.
• Farm Partners receive 80% of the thinning profits and 55% of clearfell profits.
• Alternatively, Farm Partners can opt to receive an annuity from year 21 to clearfell.
• All payments are tax free.
• Timber is FSC certified.

For those already with land under forestry the new Forest Life Income Scheme is an appealing option:

 

• This scheme offers an annual tax free income for the life of your forest and a lump sum at clearfell.
• Coillte will restock your plantation following clearfell as part of the package.
• This Scheme includes a €400 per ha advance payment on first thinning and a €400 per ha payment from year 21 until the year prior to clearfell
• All payments are tax free.
• Timber is FSC certified.

In addition to these exciting new products Coillte will also be promoting its full range of afforestation, timber harvesting and forest management services and there will be experts on hand to talk you through your options.

Coillte will also be using the Ploughing Championships to promote  it's wide range of Native Irish Hedging Plants for use on REPS schemes with hedging demonstrations and experts on hand from Coillte Nurseries to offer advice on species mix and planting.

As an incentive to visits the Coillte stand we will be giving away a free Native Irish Tree.

 

ENDS

 

For further information contact:

 

Michael Davoren
Coillte Farm Forestry Services
Tel: 086 253 2306

Tom Byrne
Head of Corporate Communications
Tel: 01 201 5231 / 086 810 4224

 

 

 

Note to Editors:

 

Coillte is a commercial State-owned company operating in forestry, panel products manufacturing, land management and energy. The Group owns 445,000 hectares of land, 7% of the land of Ireland, and a number of manufacturing operations. The Group employs approx 1,200 people in Ireland, the UK and Holland and has 3 operating divisions.