THE DONEGAL potato crop is ruined, farmers warned today.
More than 80% of spuds are still in the fields because of the dreadful rainfall of the last few weeks.
And that could hit next year’s crops – because so much of the seed potato for 2012 hasn’t been harvested.
Today the Irish Farmers Association has called on the Government to carry out an audit of the disaster.
“The October rainfall here was 204mm compared to 62mm last year and 90mm the year before. Many farms are flooded and we need at least four clear days to be able to get at the crop,” said Bridgend farmer Charlie Doherty.
“There is also another problem for growers. Potatoes have been growing near the surface of the drills this year because they did not have to go down low to find moisture.
“This will mean if there is any frost at all, there will be total devastation of the crop and we will not be able to salvage any.”
Mr Doherty said he stood to lose at least €250,000 if he could not get his crop because it cost €2,500 an acre to plough, plant and tend to a crop to the stage where it was being harvested.
“A lot of the growers will go to the wall if there is no take-up in the weather and already I think about 30 per cent of the Donegal crop is lost and will not be recoverable,” he tells today’s Irish Times.
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