Aid grants have started being issued under the 2023 Scheme of Investment Aid for the Seed Potato Sector and Chipping Potato Sector.
The scheme will assist in the development of capacity within the Irish seed and chipping potato sectors by providing grant assistance to producers towards the capital cost of specialised equipment and facilities, according to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.
The scheme, which is worth €3.1 million in 2023, is funded using monies under Ireland’s allocation from the Brexit Adjustment Reserve (BAR) fund.
Commenting on the issuing of grant approvals, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Charlie McConalogue said: “It was heartening to see such a high level of interest in the scheme which highlights the confidence and commitment of the Irish seed and chipping potato growers to the future of this industry.
Minister of State for land use and biodiversity Pippa Hackett added: “This scheme is a positive step in the continued development of the Irish seed and chipping potato industry.
“The UK’s decision to leave the EU presented growers with many challenges. This scheme has provided a great opportunity for Irish growers to address these challenges by enabling them to develop capacity and facilitating the expansion of a sustainable home-grown industry.”
The scheme is intended to assist in the development of the seed potato sector and the chipping potato sector, by grant-aiding capital investments in specialised plant and equipment.
These investments can including renewable energy, as well as technology adoption specific to the seed potato sector and the chipping potato sector.
While the seed potato sector has received aid from schemes of this type in the past, this new scheme has been extended in 2023 to include growers of Irish chipping potatoes.
Around 4,000t of seed potato previously supplied by Britain, as of January 1, 2021, can no longer be imported into Ireland. In addition, Ireland imports around 64,000t of potatoes from the UK.
Most of these fresh potato imports are used by Irish chip-shop owners.