Potato Council Report November 2025

Potato Market Report

The 2025 potato growing season in Ireland has been characterised by favourable weather conditions, with optimal rainfall and temperatures throughout the season. However, some regions experienced challenges with soil moisture deficits during the drier spells in late spring and early summer.

Overall, crops were planted early and harvest also began earlier than usual. Most growers have completed or are nearly completed harvest at this point. Harvest is slightly slower in Donegal following recent heavy rainfall. There are mixed views in terms of yields on maincrop with growers in the north- east in particular, reporting mixed findings. There are reports of cracking on early planted maincrop which will increase tare levels. Similar to some vegetable lines, the hot weather during the summer subdued potato consumption which led to an overhang of 2024 season potatoes this summer. 

Planted Acreage 2025 according to DAFM figures

HA	2023	2024	2025	Change 24 v 25
Earlies	853	863	916	+53
Maincrop	7,176	8183	7327	-856
Seed	264	242	301	+59

The above figures show the planted acreage of potatoes this year according to DAFM figures. There was a reduction of 856ha maincrop acres planted in 2025 according to these figures. This reduction in acreage should help to alleviate the overhang of 2024 potatoes on the market earlier in the season. There has been a noted change in consumer purchasing habits of potatoes, with a shift towards smaller pack sizes and more frequent shopping. 

On a positive note, consumption of potatoes has picked up since schools returned in September and since the weather has broken. There is demand from packers for packing quality potatoes, while bagging and peeling trade continues to be subdued. 

Food Regulator 

IFA continues to engage with the office of the Food Regulator and further meetings with the CEO are arranged. The office will play a very important role in bringing fairness back into our food supply chain and level the playing pitch in negotiations between farmers, processors and retailers.  IFA continues to lobby for a Statutory Instrument to give the office additional powers to compel actors in the food chain to provide information to the office of the regulator upon request. 

Residential Zoned Land Tax (RZLT)

Budget 2026 gives another opportunity for landowners subject to RZLT in 2026 to request a change from their Local Authority in the zoning of their land and avail of an exemption from RZLT liability. There will be an exemption from the 2026 RZLT liability if a landowner applies for a rezoning to reflect the “genuine economic activity currently being carried out on the land” 

This remains a temporary solution from a tax that is unfair to genuine farmers of land that fall within the scope of RZLT.  Responsibility to gain the exemption, and the cost associated with gaining the exemption falls back on the landowner. IFA has campaigned to have a permanent solution that will remove actively farmed land from the scope of residential zoned land tax. This remains the policy of IFA. IFA’s position remains that landowners with declared agricultural activity must be removed from the scope of residential zoned land tax. 

Activity since last Council

• A National Potato committee meeting took place on October 29^th in the Irish Farm Centre. Bord Bia attended the meeting and presented on their three-year strategy. 
• IFA put forward an application for a diquat derogation for 2025.
• IFA potato representatives attended the Agri‑Food Regulator Conference in May at Johnstown Estate and Policy Executive Niamh Brennan participated in a panel at the event. An IFA delegation met with the office again last month. 
• IFA completed a submission on the public consultation on the Employment Permits Occupations list last month. 
• IFA attend monthly meetings of the Horticulture Industry Forum sub-group.
• IFA continues to lobby for all potato farmers to be excluded from commercial rates as per the Valuation Act. In recent years there has been an increase in inspections on potato, tillage and horticulture premises by Local Government on behalf of the Valuation Office. Inspectors are deeming storage sheds, packing sheds, and washing bays ratable. These buildings are not ratable by virtue of constituting “Farm buildings” as defined in the Valuation Act 2001. If a precedent is set, then almost all agriculture buildings could be viewed as ratable.
• IFA are in the process of meeting with retailers and packers to discuss supply of potatoes for the upcoming season.  

Upcoming Activity/Events

• IFA will continue to monitor the origin of produce with the use of Isotope testing.
• IFA continues to engage with retailers on crop availability and setting up meetings with retailer buyers and packers at this critical period. 

• IFA will continue to contact growers to ensure they are aware of the costs of production and engage in both stocks/acreage surveys.
• The Horticulture Industry Forum will hold a General Growers meeting in Backweston on November 12th. Registration is open on https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/horticulture-industry-forum-grower-meeting-tickets-1719048734039

• IFA Potato representatives will meet with MEPs in Brussels in December on the issues of Seed Potato.