PEI potato harvest nears completion thanks to island workers

The potato harvest is nearing completion on Prince Edward Island, as growers have been blessed with favourable weather to harvest their valuable crop. According to Greg Donald, General Manager of the PEI Potato Board, the harvest "is approximately 85% complete across the Island. Yields are generally close to average and the quality of the crop is particularly good this year."

Naturally, it takes many hands to get those potatoes out of the ground and into storage. Even with modern, labour saving harvesting equipment, potato growers across the province employ a significant number of Islanders at this busy time of the year. Many growers, like Vernon Campbell of Mull Na Beinne Farms in Grahams Road, have a core group of employees that return to work for him every harvest season. "These hard working people are essential to our operation," says Vernon. "I don't know what we would do without them. Many of them return to work for us each year and their skills and knowledge help to make our harvest efficient and safe."

The potato industry continues to a major employer and an economic engine in Prince Edward Island, employing 12% of the Island labour-force directly or in spin-off employment. The potato industry in PEI creates a total economic impact of $1.065 billion dollars.

The new crop of Prince Edward Island Potatoes are already on store shelves across Atlantic Canada and will soon become more prominent in other Canadian and American markets.

For more information:
Ryan Barrett
PEI Potato Board
Tel: +1 (902) 892-6551
Email: ryan@peipotato.org
www.peipotato.org