COVID-19 potato sector support

UFU Deputy President William Irvine on his County Armagh farm. Picture: Cliff Donaldson

The Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU) potato policy committee have welcomed the opening of the COVID-19 support scheme for the potato processing sector. The scheme opened on the 9th September 2020 and will close at midnight on Wednesday, 30th September 2020.

The COVID-19 financial support scheme is targeted at those producers who specialised in supplying potatoes for the processing market to meet food service and hospitality industry needs; these producers must also have incurred a loss due to the closure of these markets during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Additional information and guidance about the scheme including a ‘Question and Answer’ section and definition of eligibility criteria can be found at this link:

https://www.daera-ni.gov.uk/publications/covid-19-schemes-agriculture-and-horticulture-sectors.

UFU deputy president William Irvine urges all producers who meet the scheme criteria to complete the online application immediately as the scheme deadline is fast approaching. It is now a matter of urgency that the first stage of the online application is completed, with a swift follow up action addressing the requirement of providing photocopies of all necessary documentary evidence.

The online application form is available at:

https://consultations.nidirect.gov.uk/daera-safdd/application-for-potato-coronavirus-scheme.

Our UFU/NFU group offices are open to assist any member who requires photocopies of the necessary original documents. Should you require this assistance we recommend you please phone ahead and arrange a time suitable to progress any photocopying requirements. The supplementary evidence can be either posted or hand delivered to Agri-food Support Branch in Dundonald House, Belfast. Whilst not compulsory, the UFU encourage those who wish to post their evidence, do so by recorded delivery, checking also that the relevant postage cost charges are correct ensuring delivery on or before the application closing date, 30th September 2020.