Chairman PEI Potato Board expects potato acreage to drop

Gary Linkletter, Chairman of the Prince Edward Island Potato Board said Thursday he expects potato acreage will drop somewhere between 5,000 and 10,000 acres this year.

Last week, Robert Irving, president of Cavendish Farms, announced that the company will be reducing the number of potatoes it buys off Island growers by 10 per cent.

That 10 per cent alone means a reduction of at least 4,000 acres of potatoes although Linkletter doesn't think the worst-case scenario - a reduction of 10,000 acres - will happen.

Irving said the market for French fries still isn't showing signs of recovery although Linkletter thinks things have bottomed out.

The cut represents approximately 45 million kilograms of potatoes and affects more than 100 Island growers.

"We have had a number of growers who have been cut who have actually volunteered to end their contract (and) get out of the business. It's a mixed bag. You adjust to what you have to do and go from there. It's a concern. I mean, some of these (farmers) are really good growers and we'd hate to see them exit the industry.''