Ireland: No potato shortage this Christmas farmers say but price of spuds could rise

Ivan Curran is still trying to get his crops out of waterlogged plains over his 700-acre farm in Stamullen in what he believes is the worst year for growing potatoes in his 40 years in agriculture. Mr Curran yields 11,000t of potatoes in a good year but expects 10pc this year to be left in fields which are too wet for his machinery to access. About 40pc of his crop are Roosters which go to supermarkets for sale and 60pc is destined for the Tayto factory in nearby Curragha for crisps. "You may see potatoes becoming more expensive due to a much lower yield from farmers all over the country and increased cost of production, but there certainly won't be a famine," he said. "2012 was a bad year for growing but this has been the worst ever that I can remember. Planting was late because of the wet weather, then it was dry when we needed the rain for the tubers and now the recent rainfall meant a perfect storm for potatoes. "I've easily lost at least 15pc of my yield this year. We have ...