PEI Potato Crop ahead of schedule

Good growing conditions this spring and summer have put the P.E.I. potato crop more than a week ahead of schedule.

Potato Board chair Boyde Rose said there was some damage from heavy rain a few weeks ago, affecting one to two per cent of the crop, but the plants were established well enough to shrug off heavy rain on the weekend.

"You can see the rows are starting to close in and starting to come out in blossoms, so I would say we're a week to ten days ahead of normal,"said Rose.

The first case of blight this year was reported earlier this week. A few cases of blight are expected every year, but hot, humid weather can cause the fungus to spread.