Potato prices are proving a more significant issue this year than weather or yields, according to chipping potato grower Peter Garrigan from Co Dublin.

“The weather generally has been okay and even though it was a bit dry for some of the growing season, crops seem to have managed fine and we didn’t irrigate,” Garrigan told the Irish Farmers Journal.

“Yields look to be average,” he said from the harvester. “Field-to-field, some crops have done better than others but you will always get that.

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“Prices are quite low because there is a lot of overhang supply from last year. Very cheap supplies are coming in from the UK too, competing with supplies here.”

Colin Buttimer, who grows potatoes for chipping near Fermoy, said “the weather has done the right thing at the right time, other than summer.

“It was a dream spring and the right weather came at the right time for harvest too.

“It was the bit in the middle that was a bit difficult for us down in Cork.

“We only got 35-40mm of rain on a lot of crops after they were above the ground, so that left us irrigating for eight or nine weeks, which added a fair cost to us.”

Harvest wise, yields are “a little bit above average”, with the operation at Rockvale Farm “hoping to be tidied up before the rain comes on Saturday.

“Demand, it’s slow-ish but steady. There are still an awful lot of imports coming in from England. That’s what sets our price here, unfortunately,” he added.

In Donegal, Charlie Doherty who grows mainly Rooster and Kerr’s Pinks, as well as seed potato, is halfway through the harvest. He echoed the sentiments on good weather and prices.

“It was a real good year. They were in good and early, growing quite well, rain came when you wanted it to come and plenty of sunshine in between.

“Whether or not we get the price is the thing, the price would be coming under pressure.

“With the price of the old stuff down and the peel stuff, it’s going to be hard to get [the price of] new Rooster back up again.”