Harvsting of maincrop potatoes is well underway in many parts of the country, with variable reports of crop yields and tuber sizes.
With around 8,000ha of potatoes grown in Ireland, the biggest threats to growers are from cheap UK imports and, inevitably, weather conditions.
Here’s what growers are reporting in counties Cork, Wexford, Dublin and Donegal.
Jim Griffin, Carrigaline, Co Cork
“We’re just starting to store potatoes now. Yields look to be about the same as last year. They won’t be any better than last year, so prices should be maintained. There won’t be any oversupply.
“Prices to wholesale are around €350/t for Kerr’s Pink in 10kg bags and €300/t for Rooster in 10kg bags, washed.
“We have big numbers, but a good lot of small potatoes, especially in the Kerr’s Pink.”
John Stafford, Slaney Farms, Co Wexford
“We’ve been harvesting for sale up to now, but we’ve just started to fill fridges. There’s probably 30% of our maincrop potatoes harvested now.
“Yields are nearly on a par with last year, maybe 5% down. A good yield for Rooster would be 18t/ac to 19t/ac and we’re touching 17t/ac to 18t/ac.
“Tuber count is quite good and size is not a problem for us. The skin finish is quite good this year too.
“Prices are not good, the market is falling. Processors are importing a lot from the UK. Sterling is weaker, making imports cheaper. The market in England seems to have completely collapsed in the last week.
“Last year the processors used all Irish potatoes and that put a good floor in the bottom of the market.”
David Rogers, Ballyboughal, Co Dublin
“We’ve just started putting potatoes into store in the last two days, conditions are not too bad.
“In terms of yield, we have fewer tuber numbers and bigger size. Our yield will be similar to last year, but because of the bigger sizes we may lose some of that in waste, because of oversized potatoes at the top end.
“It seems to be a consequence of a dry May and early June, nature decided to have fewer children and then when the moisture came, the potatoes grew well.
“Everything we have is going into storage from now on, but prices are down a bit on last year.
“Last year buyers seemed to be anxious to get potatoes, but they are a bit cooler this year.”
William Monagle, Carrigans, Donegal
“It’s very wet here. People are still trying to get the last of the corn cut. You only get one dry day every week to get some cut.
“There’s about 10% of the harvest left to complete and there’s a lot of straw still on the ground.
“With only one day a week good enough to harvest, that’s not enough to get the straw baled too.
“We would like to have our winter crop sown before we start the maincrop potato harvest, but that’s not going to happen.
“Our maincrop potatoes are only coming ready for harvesting now. We will start next week, harvesting for storage. Anybody who has started seems to be happy enough so far.”
IFA potato market report, Tuesday, 4 October
Planting deadline extended for catch crops
Up to 20% of straw crop still on the ground
Harvsting of maincrop potatoes is well underway in many parts of the country, with variable reports of crop yields and tuber sizes.
With around 8,000ha of potatoes grown in Ireland, the biggest threats to growers are from cheap UK imports and, inevitably, weather conditions.
Here’s what growers are reporting in counties Cork, Wexford, Dublin and Donegal.
Jim Griffin, Carrigaline, Co Cork
“We’re just starting to store potatoes now. Yields look to be about the same as last year. They won’t be any better than last year, so prices should be maintained. There won’t be any oversupply.
“Prices to wholesale are around €350/t for Kerr’s Pink in 10kg bags and €300/t for Rooster in 10kg bags, washed.
“We have big numbers, but a good lot of small potatoes, especially in the Kerr’s Pink.”
John Stafford, Slaney Farms, Co Wexford
“We’ve been harvesting for sale up to now, but we’ve just started to fill fridges. There’s probably 30% of our maincrop potatoes harvested now.
“Yields are nearly on a par with last year, maybe 5% down. A good yield for Rooster would be 18t/ac to 19t/ac and we’re touching 17t/ac to 18t/ac.
“Tuber count is quite good and size is not a problem for us. The skin finish is quite good this year too.
“Prices are not good, the market is falling. Processors are importing a lot from the UK. Sterling is weaker, making imports cheaper. The market in England seems to have completely collapsed in the last week.
“Last year the processors used all Irish potatoes and that put a good floor in the bottom of the market.”
David Rogers, Ballyboughal, Co Dublin
“We’ve just started putting potatoes into store in the last two days, conditions are not too bad.
“In terms of yield, we have fewer tuber numbers and bigger size. Our yield will be similar to last year, but because of the bigger sizes we may lose some of that in waste, because of oversized potatoes at the top end.
“It seems to be a consequence of a dry May and early June, nature decided to have fewer children and then when the moisture came, the potatoes grew well.
“Everything we have is going into storage from now on, but prices are down a bit on last year.
“Last year buyers seemed to be anxious to get potatoes, but they are a bit cooler this year.”
William Monagle, Carrigans, Donegal
“It’s very wet here. People are still trying to get the last of the corn cut. You only get one dry day every week to get some cut.
“There’s about 10% of the harvest left to complete and there’s a lot of straw still on the ground.
“With only one day a week good enough to harvest, that’s not enough to get the straw baled too.
“We would like to have our winter crop sown before we start the maincrop potato harvest, but that’s not going to happen.
“Our maincrop potatoes are only coming ready for harvesting now. We will start next week, harvesting for storage. Anybody who has started seems to be happy enough so far.”
IFA potato market report, Tuesday, 4 October
Planting deadline extended for catch crops
Up to 20% of straw crop still on the ground
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