It’s scary: Pumpkin harvest falls 50%
Torrential rain earlier this year put bees off their pollinating “duties” at farms across the country.
The result is a crop down by half, while the pumpkins that did get pollinated are smaller than the giant vegetables of yore.
“Everybody I’ve spoken to says the pumpkin harvest is very poor,” said grower William Ruiter of the Irish Farmers’ Association yesterday.
“The crop is well down 50% at least and the pumpkins are going to be smaller and won’t be as plentiful.
“But I don’t know what the effect on prices will be — I’d want a crystal ball for that.”
Mr Ruiter is the chairman of the IFA’s vegetable committee and will start selling his pumpkin crop from this weekend at his farm shop in Ashbourne, Co Meath.
Most of Ireland’s pumpkin crop goes to parents and children who want to hollow out the vegetables to make scary-face lanterns.
But with a shortage — and the likelihood of higher prices — mums and dads may have to resort to tougher alternatives for their family’s Hallowe’en lanterns this October 31.
“A long time ago, before pumpkins became popular, people used to use swedes and turnips,” said Mr Ruiter.
“There are plenty of fine swedes around, but they take a bit more effort and a sharper knife so parents will have to do the hacking away.”
The likelihood of imports increasing supply and easing prices also appears in doubt as Britain’s pumpkin crop was similarly affected by the summer of rain.
Traditional-size pumpkins — ideal for a modest lantern — are retailing at about €5.49, while smaller ones for eating are fetching about €1.99 in the shops.
Swedes, by comparison, are retailing at about 85 cent each or €1.49 for a three-pack in the supermarkets while turnips are about 52 cent each.
However, parents who want to dodge the arduous task of hollowing out a tough swede for a lantern could simply opt to buy pumpkin-shaped confectionery, costing €1.25 for a 125g bag instead.
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