According to Donegal’s IFA Potato Chairman, Donald Logue, steps should be taken urgently to prevent a ‘mass exodus’ of potato farmers. Logue said that while the cost of production continues to rise, this is not reflected in the marketed prices of potatoes and called for government to take action.
Logue noted the rising cost of electricity, fertiliser and diesel as well as the higher cost involved in potato storage. He said inflation went up between 16 and sometimes event 20 percent in recent times, while potato prices have gone up only one to 1.4%. “The potato grower needs a fair price for his product,” Donald Logue said.
Source: potatonewstoday.com