Tide turns for oyster farmer as demand at home soars
IN a global pandemic the world may not be your oyster – but one merchant of the tasty molluscs has experienced a positive sea change.
Hugh O’Malley, of Achill Oysters, Co. Mayo, has had a twentyfold increase in domestic sales since lockdown.
This has helped offset the fall in international exports he has suffered.
And with restaurants and gastro-pubs reopening next week, Mr O’Malley is urging them to include local oysters and seafood on their menus to help offset the economic impact of Covid-19.
The 45-year-old oyster farmer said supporting local businesses – particularly in remote areas – is crucial at this time.
Mr O’Malley, who worked for years in IT in the UK, returned to his home in the west to continue a family tradition of working at sea that has lasted five generations.
And given the recent choppy waters stirred up by the pandemic, it has been quite an odyssey for the Mayo man. Calling for continued domestic support, he said: ‘We have seen an 80% drop in our export sales but I am confident we, and the rest of the industry, will recover. ‘Pre-Covid-19, our international business was thriving. We were exporting over two tonnes of oysters to China every week on top of orders to Singapore, Taiwan, the UK, Iceland and the Netherlands. ‘Until then, we have an opportunity to work with restaurants to grow the domestic market and in doing so, directly and indirectly support Irish businesses.’ Irish oysters are renowned worldwide for their quality, achieving premium prices particularly in Asia.
The majority of oysters grown around Ireland are exported to meet international demand but the domestic market for seafood is growing year-onyear – with Bord Iascaigh Mhara estimating the domestic business to be worth almost €500million last year.
The main growth is in the food service sector – with seafood becoming increasingly popular in our restaurants and gastro-pubs.
Hugh saw the opportunities for oyster farming early on, and he knows just how important local maritime businesses are to the community. Five generations of O’Malleys have made a living from the sea in Achill. And following a successful career running his own technology firm, Hugh has used his IT and entrepreneurial skills to develop the business.
After only six years of trading, he has grown the business tenfold since 2014, developing a processing facility in Co. Clare and an e-commerce solution to sell his oysters online.
‘Our oysters take three and a half years to reach market size,’ he explains. ‘Like a fine wine, their taste is defined by how well they are tended to and the quality of their environment.
‘We couldn’t have a better location than Achill Island. We are proud to be part of this community employing local people on our farm. We are also very grateful to our Irish customers and fishmongers who have continued to support us.
‘In fact, our online sales increased twentyfold during the lockdown.
‘If Covid-19 has thought us anything, it is to continue to appreciate what we have in this country and Irish oysters are the best in the world.’