Irish Plant Too Many Potatoes

Irish growers have ignored a call to reduce potato plantings by 15 percent as a way to increase their returns.

Irish agricultural agency Teagasc potato specialist Tom Maher said first and second sowings of early potateos are showing little or no reduction in the qualilty planted.

"Early indications show little if no reduction in the acreage being planted," he said. "All of the first earlies have been planted at this stage with a lot of them over ground."

Irish Farmers' Association national potato coordinator Malachy Mitchell said the area planted to second earaliers and the main crop could be up between 1 to 15 percent. That promises to add some 15,000 tons to the crop.