Press release
Minister McConalogue visits the department’s Potato Centre in Donegal
From Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine
Published on
Last updated on
From Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine
Published on
Last updated on
The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Charlie McConalogue, visited the department’s potato centre based at ‘Tops Farm’, Raphoe, Co. Donegal yesterday, to view the latest investment in the facility.
Minister McConalogue said:
“I was delighted to visit Tops to see the important work being carried out by my staff in support of the domestic potato sector."
The department facility at Tops provides mini tubers to the seed potato industry for multiplication in order to produce seed for certification by the department. It also provides a virus testing service for the seed potato certification scheme and is also the curator of the national potato genebank where more than 700 potato varieties are maintained. The facility has been further developed through the investment in additional facilities to produce mini tubers. This allows the industry to further increase the production of potato seed.
Inspecting the newly completed glasshouse at the facility, Minister McConalogue added:
“This latest investment to the Tops facility will provide a significant increase in the production of mini-tubers for seed potato growers and is a significant support to the sector."
He added:
“The ending of seed imports from Great Britain provides an opportunity for the revival of the domestic seed potato sector. I will provide as much support as possible in reviving and expanding the sector, however, further expansion of the seed potato area must be industry-led, and it is up to everybody in the sector now to play their part to turn this opportunity into a reality.”