For the past 12 months, potato growers in Ireland have been hit by what they described is a “nightmare” that has delayed the harvesting of key crops this season. In 2023, around 700 acres of Irish potatoes were lost due to extreme, unprecedented flooding and frost, and overall yield was poor as well. Unfortunately, the potato supply hasn’t picked up in anticipation of the new season, and a more limited supply is what’s anticipated in the coming months, explained Irish Farmers' Association potato chairman Sean Ryan.
The prolonged wet weather has delayed both the planting and harvesting of first early potatoes, one of three specific groups of new potatoes that require approximately 120 days to mature. The potatoes should’ve been planted early in the spring — in March and into April — but according to Ryan, that is still a work in progress.
