2,500 tonnes of Irish potatoes shipped to Russia

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A shipment of 2,500 tonnes of potatoes left Drogheda port last week set for Russia where there is a critical shortage of the vegetable after an exceptionally poor harvest.

Gerry Tuite, a Clogherhead farmer says that this shipment is the first of its kind.

"This is the first time any spuds have gone to Russia from Ireland. Only for it we would have taken a very poor price on our spuds here,’ he told the Irish Times.

A Meath based firm called Meade Potato company were behind the contract. In total there will be four shipments to St. Peterburg weighing a total of 10,000 tonnes.

"They have had one of the worst droughts ever in Russia and in parts of eastern Europe and the potato crop failed there," said company founder Philip Meade.

"It has been the opposite here, we have had a very good growing season with yields up about 30 per cent."