Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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406. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine about financial aid for potato farmers (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40010/24]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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I fully recognise the challenges posed by the weather conditions in late 2023 and early 2024 and my Department continuously monitored the situation across the potato sector in that period. The adverse weather impacted growers to differing extents around the country with a very wide variation in unharvested potato areas. Overall, the vast majority of the 2023 planted crop was harvested, with less than 3% of the potato crop remaining unharvested, representing a 97% harvest rate.

As I indicated at the meeting on 4 July the Department cannot intervene in all circumstances and can only step in in exceptional circumstances. On balance based on all the information available, the potato sector has remained relatively strong throughout 2023 and into 2024 despite the challenges posed by the weather events of 2023.

The Department has provided significant support to the potato sector and remains committed to it.

The 2024 Schemes for Investment Aid for Innovation and Diversification in Horticulture with a total budget of €1.35 million was open to applicants from the potato sector. The Scheme of Investment Aid for the Seed Potato and the Chipping Potato Scheme provided a fund of €3.1 million from the Brexit Adjustment Reserve Fund over 2022 and 2023. In 2023 the number and range of eligible capital investment items supporting the potato sector was increased under the Targeted Agricultural Modernisation Scheme III (TAMS 3) for CAP 2023-2027. Indicative figures show applications by the sector totalling €2.6 million of DAFM reference costs. Initial support is also available to the potato sector through the Early-Stage Support for Producer Organisation Scheme administered by my Department.

In addition, potato growers who planted and declared field grown food crops in 2024 on their BISS application will receive a €100/hectare payment announced as part of Budget 2025.