For many years now, Irish potato growers have been looking for an effective sales platform, where their output is concerned.
Now, they have it. The initiative has been called ‘International Day of the Potato’.
The United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) has decided that the humble spud should have a specific day of the year set aside to celebrate its significance as a food source, ‘par excellence’ for people around the world.
The inaugural ‘International Day of the Potato’ will be held on Thursday, May 30. The plan is to make this an annual event into the future.
So, what can the Irish potato industry do to capitalise on this significant event?
If Irish beef is deserving of Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) accreditation from Brussels, why can’t the same approach be taken with Irish spuds.
After all, it is the same soils and climate that are helping to grow Irish potatoes as help the production of the grass that our cattle graze.
Potato producers
Extending the PGI principle to Irish potatoes, across the board, seems like a slam dunk opportunity to deliver real momentum for a sector that has been confronted with its fair share of challenges over recent years.
After all, the geographical entity that is the island of Ireland can be clearly and precisely identified, simply by looking at a map. All that’s required then, is the signing-up of Irish potato producers to meet specific crop management standards.
Taking this approach will automatically lift the perception of Irish potatoes with consumers, both here and abroad.
It would also set to rights the issue of imported potatoes coming into Ireland and, subsequently, masquerading as Irish produce.
Making this happen would require a strict traceability process, involving both growers and packers. This should not prove difficult, as packers already have strong communication links with all their farmer-producers.
Kicking the process off would require either the Minister for Agriculture Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue, or Bord Bia making an official PGI request to the European Commission in Brussels.
The history of Ireland has been synonymous with potato production for all the wrong reasons, going right back to the days of the Great Famine.
However, the attainment of PGI status, across the island, in the 21st century would help balance out this narrative to some extent.
It is not as if we have been sitting on our laurels where Irish potato production is concerned over recent years.
The development of the Rooster variety by plant breeders at Teagasc is a perfect example of our continuing love affair with the ‘humble spud’.