Improved weather aids potato planting

THE current spell of good weather has given potato farmers the opportunity to resume planting, the IFA has reported.

Potato committee chairman William Monagle also confirmed that the first of the early season potatoes have arrived on the market.

He said the planting season is running late as heavy rainfall resulted in poor ground conditions in April and May.

“The situation has been particularly difficult in Meath, Dublin, Louth and Donegal, where it was estimated that at the end of last month, 40% of the main crop remained to be planted.

“However, thanks to the current good spell of weather, good progress is being made and planting should finish by the second week of June,” he said.

Mr Monagle said the first early potatoes have been arriving on the market in small amounts, which is two weeks later than normal.

“The delay in early crop maturity is due to the cold wet weather in April and May, which is also having a negative impact on yield,” he said.

Mr Monagle said producers in south Wexford will begin harvesting Home Guards shortly and will be followed two weeks later by growers in Dublin and Cork.

The first of the British Queens are not expected on the market until the last days of June and it will be mid-July before there is a significant quantity of early season produce available.

“Demand for early season Irish produce is reported to be very strong,” he said.