Soil moisture deficits are currently sitting at around 60mm, which means main crop potatoes need rain to boost their yield potential in the run-up to Harvest 2026.

That's according to Wilson’s Country agronomist, Stuart Meredith, who explained: “Potato crops have been impacted by the current heatwave conditions.

"Here in Ireland, the wet spell at the end of June encouraged the creation of tubers." 

The agronomist noted that there has been three weeks of "very hot and dry weather" since then.

He added that potato crops would now need a return to "more normal weather conditions that would be expected during a normal Irish summer".

“Potato crops have, essentially, stopped growing as a consequence of the very high soil moisture deficits.

“And it’s the same story in the UK, where even growers with irrigation systems are coming under pressure."

Meredith said that local authorities in a number of English and Welsh regions have withdrawn licences allowing for the extraction of water from rivers for irrigation purposes.

He added: “As a result, the only potato growers managing to keep crops on track are those who invested in the construction of irrigation dams on their farms over recent years.

Meanwhile, concerns over potato quality are also beginning to arise, which is another impact of the continuing dry spell.

Meredith explained: “Scab is very apparent in potatoes unearthed over recent days courtesy of main crop trial digs.

“What’s really worrying here is the fact that normally scab-resistant varieties are also succumbing to the problem."

The Wilson’s Country representative acknowledged that while the rain will eventually come, potato growers need it to arrive "on a graduated basis" for their crops to get the full benefit.

He said: "A measured increase in crop growth will help dilute the impact of the scab issues that have already shown up.

The 2026 potato harvest got underway during third week of June with the digging of first earlies.

These crops yielded reasonable well and eating quality was excellent.

“Growers have now moved on to second earlies, where the first signs of drought impacting on crops have become apparent,” the Wilson’s Country agronomist said.

“Salad potatoes have become increasingly popular in Ireland with a significant proportion of these crops grown in the south-east of the country.

“And again the issue of the drought will be coming into play. These crops are normally harvested at the end of July and into early August.”

Meredith highlighted that Irish potato growers may not have the necessary infrastructure to deal with extended dry periods.

He said: “Very few Irish potato growers have access to irrigation equipment.

"The bottom line is this: Irish main crops need meaningful rainfall levels over the coming days to get them back on track.”