Potato Council Report November 2024

	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

Midterm break this week will temporarily disrupt consumption, with the food service sector seeing a boost in demand. Overall, consumption this year to date has been buoyant as consumers realise the value for money that potatoes offer. Approximately 80% of crops are now lifted and crops continue to be lifted across the country as they become fit. The effect of late planted crops is definitely evident now as yields are much lower on these crops. 

In the U.K. lifting conditions remain difficult following heavy rainfall on the southern and western side of the country. It is reported that some crops which were stored since the rain started are starting to show breakdown problems, including Pink Rot and wet rot. Stores have been unloaded and some on long term contract will need moving earlier than planned. Heavy rain in parts of Europe last week has also restricted liftings. 

Food Regulator 

IFA continues to engage with the office of the Food Regulator and further meetings with the CEO are arranged. The office of the new Agri-Food Regulator was launched last December. This new State body tasked with regulating the food supply chain, An Rialálaí Agrabhia, 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.  

National Potato Conference

The National Potato Conference co-hosted by IFA, Teagasc and Bord Bia will take place on November 21^st in the City North Hotel, Gormanston, Co Meath. This year’s event will focus on the Future of Potatoes. The events speakers will be announced shortly. 

Activity since last Council

• IFA are in the process of meeting with retailers and packers to discuss supply of potatoes for the upcoming season.  
• IFA representatives met with DAFM officials in Backweston on the issue of seed potato availability last month. Growers of processing varieties, in particular, are unable to source adequate supply from Europe. 
• IFA Potato chairman Sean Ryan continues to engage with media on the difficult year potato farmers have had in terms of weather and high input costs and shortage of supply. 
• IFA successfully secured a derogation for the use of Diquat given the difficult weather conditions this spring and late maturing crops. 
• 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, creating potentially disastrous for all agriculture sectors. Accordingly, the current exemption is not fit for purpose. 

Upcoming Activity/Events

• IFA Potato Chairman Sean Ryan and Niamh Brennan will attend a COPA potato working party meeting in Brussels on November 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.