As part of National Potato Day, which is taking place today, Friday 7 October, the Irish Farmers Association (IFA) has called on consumers, retailers, packers and the foodservice sector to support Irish potato growers.
IFA president Tim Cullinan described the Irish potato industry as a “critical indigenous sector worth €111m at the farm gate”.
“Four hundred growers plant over 8,000ha annually. Potato growers supply high-quality, nutritious produce to consumers throughout the year,” he said.
However, he highlighted that 2022 has been an “extremely difficult year for growers, with spiralling input costs, consumption trends from the fallout of the pandemic and drought conditions” putting “huge pressure on growers”.
‘Resilient’
IFA potato chair and Wexford farmer Sean Ryan said growers are “resilient” but warned that “there is only so much they can take”.
“Unfortunately, the number of potato growers has been in decline, with more growers weighing up their options in the current environment.
“There is a lot of concern around the cost of production already foregone for the year’s crop and storage costs. Growers must be compensated for these additional costs and additional margin passed directly to growers immediately,” he said.
Value for money
This year’s National Potato Day aims to show consumers the value for money that potatoes offer to feed family and friends. The day also aims to draw attention to Irish chipping potatoes.
The IFA highlighted research from Bord Bia, which it says shows that two out of three Irish people incorrectly assume that the potatoes used to make the majority of chipper chips come from Ireland. In fact, the vast majority of chipping potatoes are imported each year, says the farm organisation.
In the last few years, the IFA says that it, Teagasc, Bord Bia and the Department of Agriculture have “joined forces to increase the volume of home-grown potatoes being produced by Irish growers for sale in Irish chip shops”.
This National Potato Day, the association says it is “encouraging consumers to ask about the country of origin of the potatoes used to cook the chips they consume from their local chipper and at home”.
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