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Speaking to the Irish Farmers Journal, Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU) potato chair Robert Sibbett said growers are struggling to get the crop dug.
“The long stretch of wet weather has meant that fields have been virtually inaccessible until recently. Some growers have only been able to get into their fields for the first time this month.
“I’m normally finished harvesting the potatoes by the time the clocks change. I don’t remember it being this bad since the wet weather in 1985.”
As a consequence, Sibbett said there are fears that there will be no further digging done until the new year.
“Potatoes are rotting in the field because it’s so wet. It’s having a knock-on effect on everything else.”
Cost
All of this is adding cost to the farmer. The cost of growing spuds in Northern Ireland is approximately £1,500/acre (€1,683) and Sibbett said this harvest is adding significant costs to the farmer.
“The yields are good and the quality is good but the problem is getting them out of the ground. Then you have the issue of them carrying a lot of dirt. This take a bit of work and adds a right cost on to the farmer,” Sibbett said.
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