
© (MOHAMED EL-SHAHED/AFP/Getty Images)Stock photo
ADVERSE WEATHER conditions which have battered Ireland for months has resulted in "serious" problems with the annual potato harvest and could lead to a national shortage, experts have warned.
According to
RTÉ,
the constant wet weather has resulted in just 30% of the national crop being harvested so far, with fears of big losses if Ireland is not hit with a prolonged dry spell, as wet soil can cause potatoes to rot in the ground.
If the situation is not rectified quickly, farmers could lose profits and there could be a severe shortage of Irish potatoes available to buy across the country.
Rainfall in the northeast of the country, where half the national crop is grown, experienced
rainfall double that of the monthly average in August and September, and this has resulted in only a small percentage of the crops being harvested.
Comment: These kinds of reports are now happening throughout the year and all over the world: Erratic seasons and extreme weather devastating crops around the world
See also:
- Total catastrophe for U.S. corn production: Only 30% of U.S. corn fields have been planted - 5 year average is 66% (May 2019)
- Snow, freezing temperatures threaten northern U.S. corn, soybeans (October 2019)
And check out SOTT's monthly documentary for more: SOTT Earth Changes Summary - September 2019: Extreme Weather, Planetary Upheaval, Meteor Fireballs