Irish potato growers purchased a large part of their seed potatoes from Scotland. Due to Brexit, this will no longer be possible for the coming season. To compensate for the loss of Scottish seed potatoes, seed potato cultivation in Ireland has been expanded by no less than 29% compared to the five-year average in the past cultivation year.
In absolute numbers, the expansion is not too bad. The total area of certified seed potatoes in Ireland in 2021 was 299 hectares. For comparison: in the Netherlands, 41.711 hectares of seed potatoes have been declared for field inspection by the NAK. The amount of seed potatoes certified in Ireland has varied over the past five years from 2.123 tonnes in 2020 to 3.308 in 2016 (2021 figures are not yet available). Imports of seed potatoes from Scotland during the same period ranged from 2.990 tons in 2016 to 4.015 tons in 2020. Great Britain, and especially Scotland, was the main supplier of seed potatoes to Ireland during that period.
Lots of potential for Irish seed potato cultivation
Due to the UK's third country status, certain products, including seed potatoes, no longer have access to the European internal market. Despite the significant expansion of the seed potato area, the Irish seed potato sector is unable to meet its own needs and thus absorb the loss of seed potato imports from Scotland.
Charlie McConalogue, the Irish agriculture minister, expects that the ban on Scottish seed potatoes will have dramatic consequences for 2022. He has therefore called on European Commissioner for Trade Valdis Dombrovskis to do everything in his power to find a solution quickly. In the longer term, McConalogue sees potential to increase Irish seed potato production. “Despite the challenges, I firmly believe there is significant potential to increase the production and supply of Irish-grown seed potatoes. I am committed to developing this sector further,” he told the Irish Examiner.