Representatives of the Irish Farmers Association (IFA) will meet with the country's main supermarkets in the coming weeks to confirm the year-round availability of Irish potatoes.
IFA national potato committee chairperson Sean Ryan confirmed that initial discussions had already taken place with Tesco. "We made the point very clearly that high-quality Irish potatoes are available at all times. There is no need to bring imports into the country. Our plan is to meet the other supermarkets over the coming weeks," he said.
According to the IFA, approximately 21,000 acres (8,500 hectares) of potatoes were planted in Ireland this year. The maincrop harvest is now beginning, though Ryan noted it is too early to provide a clear outlook on yields. "For the most part, growers are opening up fields at present and concentrating on headlands," he said. He added that "dry matters are exceptionally high," which reflects positively on eating quality, a point the IFA intends to stress in supermarket meetings.
Ryan also raised concerns about the availability of seed potatoes for future seasons. The European Commission has not yet agreed on a derogation that would allow imports of seed potatoes from Scotland into Ireland for the 2026 crop. "It's important that the decision required is taken without delay. Irish growers will be seeking to secure 2026 seed supplies in the very near future. Given this state-of-affairs, we are asking all Irish MEPs to put as much pressure on Brussels as possible to get the decision that we need from the European Commission as quickly as possible," he said.
While Irish seed potato production is expanding, Ryan noted that it will take several years before domestic supply can fully meet local demand. "This is why we need to secure the continuing derogation from Brussels allowing the importation of seed potatoes from Scotland," he added.
In terms of the current market, Ryan said growers are harvesting crops both for immediate sale and for storage. He noted that recent weeks have seen potato prices improve, which he linked to supply and demand, as consumer purchases increased following the return of children to school.
Weather conditions in recent days have been favorable for harvesting, which Ryan said should allow more potatoes to be placed into storage as the season progresses.
Source: Agriland