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The traditional Comber Earlies potato harvest has started with growers reporting good tuber size and quality despite some uncertainty over yield. The first variety being lifted is Accord, grown by William Gilmore on his farm near Newtownards.
Gilmore's family has been involved in early potato production for 75 years. The crop was planted on 04 March without the use of fleece, and Gilmore said it was too early to predict yield, though tuber size and eating quality were both good.
He said the growing season had been kind so far, with no late frosts, which can sometimes hit Comber crops hard. Almost 60mm of rain fell on the crop in the past two weeks, which Gilmore said was enough to push on growth rates and bring the potatoes ready ahead of schedule.
Describing the harvesting process, Gilmore said digging first earlies was very precise. He said a single row harvester was used to ensure skin damage was kept to an absolute minimum as the potatoes were lifted from the soil.
Gilmore supplies his first earlies to Co Armagh potato packer and processor Wilson's Country. The company's sales and marketing manager, Joanne Weir, visited the farm to see this year's first crop coming out of the ground.
Weir said Comber Earlies were in the shops within 24 hours of harvest, with freshness central to that approach. She said the potatoes were widely regarded as a delicacy throughout Northern Ireland.
For many consumers, she added, the arrival of Comber Earlies marked the start of summer, adding to seasonal dishes prepared at this time of year. She said real connoisseurs preferred them simply boiled in their loose skins with a bit of butter, calling them a stand-out treat even on their own.
Weir was joined on the farm by Tesco produce buying manager Nigel Doherty, who said customer demand for Comber Early potatoes remained extremely strong. He said the potatoes would be available in 23 of the supermarket's stores in the north.
