Progress on potato imports welcome, but issues remain

DUP MPs Carla Lockhart, pictured above, and Ian Paisley have welcomed confirmation that importation of ware potatoes will be able to continue after 1 January. The MPs have been lobbying the Government to resolve the issue.
By The Newsroom
Published 7th Jan 2021, 08:55 BST
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In a joint statement, the DUP representatives said: “Because of the Protocol imposed on us in Northern Ireland, we faced the prospect whereby potato supplies would have been massively impacted upon. This would affect the potatoes many use daily, and that is used by chip shops across Northern Ireland.

“Faced with a ban on these potatoes, we have been actively engaging with the Government and with those involved in the Joint Committee. We welcome progress and confirmation that a solution has been found that allows these potatoes to continue to enter Northern Ireland.

“An issue remains with seed potatoes and currently these cannot be brought into Northern Ireland from 1 January. We will continue to work alongside the DEARA Minister to find a solution to this.

“We must also look at ways to support local growers and to ensure more and more of our potatoes are grown locally. “

Related topics:MPsCarla LockhartIan PaisleyNorthern IrelandDUPGovernmentProtocol