Farmers tell of stresses over potato crops
A “LUCKY” farmer who was one of the first in the country to manage to plant a few acres of potatoes has said the industry is under huge stress with the rain.
Jamie Rankin was able to plant 10 acres of Roosters last Thursday and a further five last Monday on his Cloon Farm in Carrigans.
The East Donegal farmer has managed to buck the trend nationally where rainfall has made it impossible for most to access their sodden land to sow crops.
Jamie farms 100 acres but also rents a further 500 acres, 280 of which normally provide yields of varieties including Rooster,
Whites, Piper and Salad potatoes.
He added: “Myself and my neighbour were able to put in some potatoes in the last week.
“I think we have been sort of lucky. The jet stream has moved to the south east from us, which means that while we haven’t been without rain, we haven’t had as much as the rest of the country.
“Normally it’s here that we get it the most.
WEATHER
“It was a case of going out whenever we could. We are on call in this weather all time, looking for a window of opportunity.
“I’ve light, free-draining soil so while it is not ideal, I’m happy enough with the conditions.
“We had hailstones and temperatures of six degrees on Tuesday so I’d prefer a warmer bed to plant. For the next 10 days, I’ll be watching to see if growth starts. We need to get planting by the 15th April. That’s the crucial date. Planting after mid-may and you are guaranteed to lose yield.
“I’m the fourth generation of my family to farm and have been at it for 25 years. This is definitely the worst few years I’ve come across.”
Meanwhile, Michael Hoey of Country Crest Foods in Lusk, Co. Dublin said it’s the “unknown more than anything”.
He added: “There are no crops in the ground and six months of rain. We are living on reserves and the reality is coming home. I’ve never seen anything like this and I’ve been farming since I left school, over 40 years ago.
“We have had wet winters before but they were different. It didn’t rain for so long. Winter came last year on October 12th and the rain hasn’t lifted since.”