Ireland’s potato market is facing weaker retail demand and increasing crop pressure as prolonged hot weather affects both household consumption and growing conditions.

The Irish Farmers’ Association said retail sales and home consumption had slowed, while crops were showing signs of heat stress. Growers are irrigating where water and equipment are available, although continued high temperatures are adding uncertainty around yield and quality.

Quality problems affecting potatoes remaining in storage are also continuing to create challenges for suppliers. Meanwhile, Queens and salad potatoes are entering the market in greater volumes as the domestic sector moves further into the new-season crop.

Demand for new-season salad potatoes remains strong, providing one of the more positive areas of the market despite the broader slowdown in consumption.

The difficult growing conditions come as potato acreage is being reduced across several of Europe’s largest producing countries. The North-Western European Potato Growers estimates that the combined ware potato area in Belgium, France, Germany and the Netherlands has declined by approximately 11% compared with last season.

Belgium recorded the largest reduction, at 16.6%, followed by the Netherlands at 15.1% and France at 9.7%. Estimates from Germany also point to a significant contraction.

The Irish Farmers’ Association, citing World Potato Markets, said the total potato area across the EU’s 27 member states could fall by approximately 10% this season. That would make it the smallest planted area since 2023 and, according to the report, the second lowest on record.

The combination of reduced acreage and weather-related crop stress is increasing uncertainty over European potato availability, although final production will depend heavily on growing conditions during the remainder of the season.