New ‘spud fund’ in the works to encourage farmers in Carlow and Kilkenny to grow potatoes again

€3,000,000 is to be made available to encourage farmers to grow potatoes again.

Agriculture Minister Charlie McConalogue will seek Cabinet approval for the ‘spud fund’ this morning.

It’s to be spread over the next two years and can be used for specialised equipment and storage.

Minister McConalogue says it’s aimed at kick-starting the Irish potato industry again:

“Over the last couple of decades we’ve seen what was traditionally a strong seed potato sector in Ireland reduced and indeed replaced by seed potato imports in Scotland”

The Minister says since Brexit that’s no longer possible:

“So there’s a real opportunity in that now for the Irish Potato industry to once again go about producing our own seed potato domestically”