Potato growers hold emergency talks over risk of ‘retail wipeout’

FARMERS, furious that retailers are taking a 284% mark-up on home grown potatoes, have called an emergency meeting as growers face being forced out of business.

IFA president John Bryan said last night: “The excessive profiteering must end and growers must get fair play. It is not acceptable that retailers drive primary producers into bankruptcy because of a short-term oversupply situation.”

Last night farmers met in the Irish Farm Centre where Mr Bryan spoke on the crisis in the potato sector and said growers are facing wipeout, as retailers and packers pocket up to 80% of the final consumer price and farmers go broke.