The Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU) is persistently advocating for potato and vegetable cultivators affected by flooding, as stated by UFU president David Brown. Last autumn's floods severely impacted parts of counties Down and Armagh, particularly potato and vegetable farmers.
While the UK government has allocated a £15 million flood compensation scheme, a substantial part of this fund will be directed to severely flood-affected businesses in towns like Downpatrick and Newry. Nonetheless, the UFU has emphasized that several farming enterprises were equally impacted by the harsh weather conditions.
The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) has agreed to formulate a business case to evaluate the feasibility of providing flood aid to farm businesses. However, securing flood aid for farmers is still not guaranteed. Factors such as insurance cover and the physical possibility of land flooding will be considered. DAERA officials plan to re-inspect previously flooded lands that were initially surveyed last autumn.
UFU deputy president, John McLenaghan, discussed the impact of the autumn 2023 floods on growers with vegetable and potato processing businesses. He stressed the need for farmers to receive market prices that enable their survival, warning that if growers go out of business due to poor yields and prices, processors will inevitably lose a portion of their long-term supply base.
Source: agriland.co.uk