Potato harvest starts in NI with digging of ‘Comber Earlies’
Digging ‘Comber Earlies’, the traditional start of the potato harvesting season in Northern Ireland, is now underway in Co. Down.
William Gilmore, who farms close to the town of Newtownards, grows the first early variety: Accord.
His family has been committed to early potato production for the past 75 years.
William commented: “The crop was planted on March 4 without the use of fleece.
“It’s still hard to predict yield yet but tuber size is good and eating quality is excellent.
“Overall, it has been a fairly kind growing season up to this point. There were no late frosts this year, which can sometimes hit Comber crops hard."
The crop received almost 60mm of rain in the past two weeks, which has been enough to push growth rates on and have the potatoes ready ahead of schedule.
“Digging first earlies is a very precise process. For example, we use a single row harvester so as to ensure that skin damage is kept at an absolute minimum as the potatoes are being lifted from the soil," Gilmore continued.
The Gilmores supply the first earlies to Co. Armagh potato packer and processer, Wilson’s Country.
The company’s sales and marketing manager, Joanne Weir visited the Gilmore farm to see the first of this year’s potato crops coming out of the ground.
She commented: “Our Comber Earlies are in the shops within 24 hours of harvest. The potatoes are widely regarded as a delicacy right across Northern Ireland.
"And part of this commitment centres on having them in-store as quickly as possible. Freshness is everything.
“For many consumers, the availability of Comber Earlies represents the start of summer. They add so much to the seasonal dishes prepared across Northern Ireland at this time of the year."
For the real connoisseurs of the potatoes, it’s simply a case of boiling them in their loose skins and then adding a bit of butter, according to Wilson's Country.
“They are a stand-out treat, even on their own," Weir said.
The Wilcon's Country representative was joined on-farm by Tesco produce buying manager, Nigel Doherty.
He said: “Customer demand for Comber Early potatoes remains extremely strong, and will be available in 23 of our stores across Northern Ireland.
“Customers look for locally sourced, great quality produce, and the Comber Earlies are a great example of this.
“These wonderful potatoes are grown in fields that are located within eight miles of Belfast city centre.”
