Cavendish Farms Working On Drought-tolerant Seeds
During the P.E.I. Youth Farmers annual meeting Cavendish Farms’ president Robert Irving said the company is in the process of developing potato seeds that can thrive in the dry growing conditions of Prince Edward Island (P.E.I.), noted a recent report from The Guardian.
The announcement comes after Cavendish Farms was driven to import millions of pounds of potatoes from the United States for its New Annan plant following a poor harvest season in P.E.I. This was partially because of hot summer temperatures with little rain.
Irving acknowledged that importing potatoes from the US is not a sustainable practice but given that the global change in weather is impacting many areas, the company is looking to adapt to the situation.
On top of working on potato seeds that could thrive in dry conditions, Cavendish Farms has also highlighted the importance of extending the region’s irrigation system. The company has previously asked the province to lift its ban on deep-water wells explaining that the industry requires supplemental irrigation in order to remain sustainable.
