Potato harvest 'rapidly turning into a salvage operation'
43 acres of main crop potatoes which should be harvested by now only for the very wet conditions on the lands of tillage farmer Dick Fitzgerald, Loughane, East Cork. Picture: Dan Linehan
This year's potato harvest is "rapidly turning into a salvage operation" as drills are underwater following recent flooding.
The Irish Farmers' Association national potato committee chairman Sean Ryan said this year's harvest is "the worst in recent memory".
"As it stands, around 60% of crop remains to be harvested," Mr Ryan said.
"Met Éireann data shows some stations have already exceeded the average annual total rainfall and others close to it. Now that we are in November, we are in extremely difficult territory with this much crop left to be harvested."
Mr Ryan said that the heavy rain has "washed most of the clay off the top of the drills" leaving the crop more prone to frost damage.
"A few hard frosts at this point will wipe out entire crops," he added.
The 2023 potato season was expected to be late, as crops were planted very late due to weather conditions in the springtime.
Maturation was slow and crops were a minimum of six weeks behind schedule before the current weather conditions kicked in, Mr Ryan explained.
"This year, potato growers were forced to harvest in reverse due to weather conditions. Dry fields were harvested first leaving the wetter ground to be harvested now," he continued.
"With more heavy rain forecast on already saturated ground, it looks like there will be no let up for growers in the near future."
Mr Ryan warned that growers will not be able to absorb the financial hit if crops are lost due to weather damage, and will need support "to ensure the medium-term survival of the sector".
