MEP seeks EU aid for potato growers (26th January, 2010)

January 26, 2010 at 4:42 pm Leave a comment

The EU has been asked for ‘urgent and immediate funding’ to save Irish potato farmers from financial ruin. Fine Gael MEP Mairead McGuinness says she has been ‘hounding’ officials from the European Commission to see what can assistance can be given to potato growers whose crop has been destroyed by cold weather. The IFA estimates that 20 per cent of last year’s potato crop cannot be harvested because of the freezing winter conditions that followed heavy rain last November, leaving farmers facing losses of €15 million.
‘This is not just about saving a handful of potato farmers, it’s also about the very survival of the industry that services the sector; suppliers, contractors, mechanics – the knock-on effects of this crisis are devastating,’ said Ms McGuinness.
The Fine Gael MEP said that whether or not EU funding can be found, the onus is on the Irish government to address the problem swiftly. She urged Agriculture Minister Brendan Smith to assess the extent of the damaged potato crop and examine all possible options that can be taken to prop up the sector.