Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 28 April 2026
886. Deputy Michael Collins asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on whether the significant decline in domestic potato production from over 20,000 hectares in the 1990s to fewer than 9,000 hectares in recent years represents a strategic vulnerability for the State, given that Ireland is now a net importer of a staple crop historically produced at scale domestically; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30239/26]
View answerThe area under potatoes has contracted in response to market signals.
Ireland continues to produce potatoes at scale with sufficient supplies in some market segments and deficits in others. Irish growers still have quantities of rooster potatoes in store from last season. Potato imports for 2025 were mainly chipping potatoes in which Ireland is not self-sufficient.
Bord Bia has invested significant efforts to stabilise a trend of declining potato consumption with EU funded and Exchequer funded campaigns, including the annual National Potato Day celebration in October. Furthermore, since the early 2020s, Bord Bia has been working to grow awareness of and the market for the Irish chipping potato.
My Department provided support to the potato sector to diversify into growing chipping potatoes in part through the Schemes of Investment Aid for the Seed Potato Sector and Chipping Potato Sectors in 2022 and 2023. More recently further supports have also been provided through the Scheme of Investment Aid for Innovation and Diversification in Horticulture Capital Investments to enable growers to diversify into salad and baby potatoes where consumer demand is also growing.
These supports recognise the continued government support for the development of this important sector. I am committed to seeing this sector, grow and flourish in the years ahead.
