Potato Council Report March 2025

Potato Market Report 11.03.25

	Low	High	Average
Rooster box	€600	€700	€650
Rooster 10kg	€7	€8	€7.50
Chipping Markies (25kg)	€13	€15	€14
Kerr Pinks 10kg	€8	€9	€8.50

Retail demand and consumption remain unchanged on our domestic market. Drier weather over the past few weeks means that land conditions are favourable for groundwork. Stocks are behind where they were in previous years before the pandemic distortion. Current supply and demand should align well until new main season crop comes on board. Prices have stabilised over the past week.

In relation to the Cyprus crop there were overnight frosts on four nights over the weekend and inland areas report damage. Temperatures have since returned to normal, but crops will be delayed “by 7 to 10 days” In France, it is noted that “non-traditional” varieties which were grown because of the overall lack of seed last year are proving hard to move.

Stocks Survey 

IFA conducted a survey of potato stocks in January. The results are indicated above and compared to 2020 stocks, as this was the last year before stocks were distorted because of the pandemic and weather challenges. As of the end of January there was over 5000 tonnes less in storage overall compared to January 2020. 

Food Regulator 

IFA continues to engage with the office of the Food Regulator and further meetings with the CEO are arranged. Niamh Lenehan, CEO of the office addressed IFA’s National Horticulture and Potato meeting in February.  The office will play a very important role in bringing fairness back into our food supply chain and level the playing pitch in negotiations between farmers, processors and retailers.  IFA continues to lobby for a Statutory Instrument to give the office additional powers to compel actors in the food chain to provide information to the office of the regulator upon request. 

Activity since last Council

• The National Potato Conference took place on November 21^st in the City North Hotel, Gormanston. The meeting had a record attendance 
• IFA continues to lobby for a temporary derogation for seed potato and for the continued development for domestic seed production. 
• A National Horticulture and Potato meeting took place Feb 25^th in the Irish Farm Centre. Minister Michael Healy-Rae addressed the meeting. A number of guest speakers including the Agri Food Regulator, Teagasc, DAFM and Bord Bia also addressed the meeting. 
• There was an IFA Potato Committee meeting in the Irish Farm Centre on February 19^th.
• There was a full HIF Committee meeting on February 11^th co-chaired by Minister Healy-Rae.  At the meeting growers were updated on issues such as recent storm damage, seed potato and supports for the sector. 
• IFA attended a number of the Horticulture Industry Forum sub-group meetings. The group met with Dunnes Stores and Lidl representatives in March to present the proposed retail charter. 
• IFA continues to lobby for all potato farmers to be excluded from commercial rates as per the Valuation Act. In recent years there has been an increase in inspections on potato, tillage and horticulture premises by Local Government on behalf of the Valuation Office. Inspectors are deeming storage sheds, packing sheds, and washing bays ratable. These buildings are not ratable by virtue of constituting “Farm buildings” as defined in the Valuation Act 2001. If a precedent is set, then almost all agriculture buildings could be viewed as ratable.
• IFA are in the process of meeting with retailers and packers to discuss supply of potatoes for the upcoming season.  
• IFA Potato Chairman Sean Ryan and Niamh Brennan attended a COPA potato working party meeting in Brussels in November.
• A number of meetings were also held with MEPs in Brussels to discuss seed production and the availability of plant protection products. 
• IFA continues to lobby to ensure farmers are exempt from residential zoned land tax (RZLT). All farmers/ grower’s farmers must act before the 31st of March deadline and apply for their lands to be rezoned regardless of previous applications. 

Upcoming Activity/Events

• IFA will attend an online meeting of the COPA working party on potatoes on March 13^th. 
• IFA will continue to monitor the origin of produce with the use of Isotope testing.
• IFA continues to engage with retailers on crop availability and setting up meetings with retailer buyers and packers at this critical period. 

• IFA will continue to contact growers to ensure they are aware of the costs of production and engage in both stocks/acreage surveys.
• Bord Bia will address a meeting of all growers in the Farm Centre on Nov 15^th on the issue of Quality Assurance.