Fears of a potato shortage after a ‘nightmare’ 12 months for growers

Around 700 acres were lost between flooding and frost, and overall the yield was poor.

Potato grower Colin Buttimer using a 24m sprayer with a pre-emergence spray on his Markies potatoes at Rockvale Farm, Fermoy, Co. Cork. Picture: David Creedon

Growers are living in hope that the fine weather spell forecasted for this June Bank Holiday materialises as they near the end of planting their potato crops. 

A shortage of Irish potatoes will soon become apparent to consumers especially as they could face higher prices as growers battle a "nightmare" for the last 12 months that has been the culmination of delayed plantings and harvests, and reduced yield.