Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 366: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food the acreage of potatoes grown in the country in 2005; the most prominent varieties; the value of the crop; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14576/05]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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Preliminary indications are that potato plantings in 2005 will be slightly down on the 2004 figure of 12,600 hectares. Planting of the 2005 potato crop is ongoing. The annual national potato census takes place during the summer and results for 2005 will be published later in the year. The main varieties grown in 2004 were Rooster, which represented 54% of main crop production area, Kerr's Pink, British Queen and Record. The output value was €85 million.

The potato sector is one of the few agricultural commodity areas where the Common Market organisation does not operate and consequently production is market driven. The market for potatoes is price sensitive and recent years have seen significant volatility in terms of supplies and prices. Last year saw potato growers under considerable pressure as market returns declined considerably on the previous two years.