Potato growers urged to order seed now for 2023 — or take a 'huge risk'
Growers in Garretstown, Co Cork, planting British queens seed potatoes last year. Picture: Denis Boyle
Teagasc has urged potato growers to contact seed producers now to organise fresh seed for the 2023 season, as the Brexit impasse shows no sign of easing.
"This will give the seed producer confidence to grow the required seed amounts, for a market that they are sure exists. Otherwise, they are taking a huge risk, to grow for a market that may or may not be there," said advisers in April's Teagasc advice bulletin to growers.
The May bank holiday weekend was the target for most to get potato crops planted, and advisers said the supply of seed for many varieties is tight this year, with many growers opting to use a mixture of certified seed and home-saved seed, to cover the requirements for the 2022 season.
"While this is perfectly fine, growers need to be aware that due to the Brexit impasse between the EU and UK on seed imports from Scotland and Great Britain, this avenue for seed doesn't look like it will be available in the near future," advisers warned.
Agriculture Minister Charlie McConalogue has committed to resourcing the seed industry here, and Teagasc advisers said they expect an announcement shortly about some supports for Irish seed growers.
"While this is welcome, and badly needed, the seed growers who will be tasked with supplying the seed to Irish growers will need commitment from ware growers, otherwise the industry is going nowhere."
"The high dry matter varieties that we like in Ireland are not popular on the continent, with the result that there are few seed growers in Europe prepared to risk growing varieties that they may not have sales for.
"Therefore, in order to supply the Irish market, with these types of varieties, the only real option is to produce the seed in Ireland.”
Hence the advice to growers for the retail potato market is to contact their local agri-merchant to order seed for 2023, or to contact seed producers directly and book in seed for next season.
Every year, the Department of Agriculture publishes a list of seed growers, and the area of seed for all the different varieties entered for. This list of seed producers can be found in the 'seed potatoes' section of the gov.ie website.
Teagasc has also alerted potato growers to two significant Nitrates Directive changes that come into effect in 2022.
All tillage crops will have to have some sort of cultivation after harvest to stimulate green cover to establish. And late-harvested cereal crops or crops such as maize, beet and potatoes will have to have a 6m buffer zone between the crop and any watercourse, to prevent any surface runoff into the watercourse.
"For the moment, there is no clear guideline on how to treat the buffer zones and what harvest dates are considered late", said advisers.
