Maris Piper potatoes

Hiya

I'm not a farmer but I do like chips. Friends of mine who own chippers say that they import the potatoes from the UK called Maris Pipers.

This year the bags of potatoes are gone through the roof and with VAT increasing, bags if chips will cost ridiculous money.

My question is with the climate changing, is there a chance we would perfect the Maris Piper here in Ireland to the standard that chippys require?

White Clover

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058307546/maris-piper-potatoes

Apologies in advance, I know little about growing spuds, but what is the correlation between growing Maris Piper spuds and climate change?

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120926235#Comment_120926235

Based on the 2nd hand info, I was informed that the Irish Chippers import these potatoes from the UK as the climate in the UK makes these spuds the perfect chipper chips. I'm told they are not the same if grown in Ireland due to our climate.

But based on putting my finger in the wind, Irelands climate has changed over the past few years and I'm wondering if it's positive or negative to going this potatoes here to supply to chippies.

I dont know the science in relation to the difference between Irish and UK grown Maris Piper.

I have been informed that Germa y and Holland are pushing g to by these spuds from the UK which is increasing the prices even more for the Irish Chipper.

Base price

According to this article from 2004 - Maris Piper spuds don't do well in Ireland because our ground is too damp.

https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/irish-potato-growers-lose-out-as-chippers-buy-uk-spuds/26219210.html

the.red.baron

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058307546/maris-piper-potatoes

i dont think the climate in the UK would be that much different to here or that it would be so consistent year on year that what you say is true (this year a good example)

i think its a matter of seed spud supply, you could of course build that up here

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120926391#Comment_120926391

I don't think so . Looking at news articles they mention soil types, climate and the way the are grown leads to a great chipper chip.

I've no idea why. I'm sure farmers here know the answer.

the.red.baron

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120926430#Comment_120926430

look it was an irish grower who created this variety

again the climate here is perfect for spuds, what would you think is particular about this variety

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120926494#Comment_120926494

You are asking me as if I work in agriculture. I don't.

I do know that chippers in Ireland import 1000s of tons of Maris Pipers each year from the UK as I'm told they make the best chips for chippers. I'm also told that the potatoes sugar levels would be different growing in Ireland so quality would not be nearly as good.

It's also hard to believe that Ireland is perfect for growing spuds if we are one of the least producers of potatoes in the EU.

Donald Trump

A neighbour here used to grow them. I used to do the odd day with him when I was a teenager.

Big feckin' lumpers of yokes. The only advantage of them was that they went into 25kg bags when most of the other ones were starting to go into 10kg bags.... You'd be bollixed when you were doing the 10kg bags. The Maris Pipers were going for catering.

BTW, tell your chipper buddies that we know a fella who is willing and raring to put in 5-6 acres of them for next year. He'll dig them with a four prong fork.

Who2

I used to do work for a few restaurants and chippies, they used to tell me the same, that English markets s pipers were the best chip spud. Surely someone has to know the reason.

Danzy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120926391#Comment_120926391

Sure the difference in County Cork alone is incredible, hell even in a farm my driest field is as dry a field in Ireland, 6 inches outside of the wire, it is blue mud underneath and that field can only be grazed for a few months.

.

Danzy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120926981#Comment_120926981

Probably soil type, maybe they are grown in more sandy, or a chalky soil.

Donald Trump

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120926981#Comment_120926981

It's because the Brits took our best spuds back during the famine and left us starving.

The Maris Pipers are classed under the taxonomy of "Protestant spuds" which are slightly different from a scientific perspective

Silverdream

They grow them in the fenlands which is a sandy loam soil in eastern England. No comparison to any land here, its dryer free draining soil that leaves a clean spud that doesn't need a power-washer to knock the mud off.

Climate is dryer too and some of those large farms use massive irrigation systems to keep moisture in the soil

893bet

We have a front “Hagart” and a back hagart. No more than 100 metres between them.

New potatoes from the back are twice as good. Dry floury new potatoes. The ones from the front by contrast are always a little more greasy and less floury (still better than anything you could buy but…..).

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120927527#Comment_120927527

Thanks for the info.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120927527#Comment_120927527

Something like this in Suffolk?

The soil looks like mostly sand.

https://youtu.be/_C2oX58Y7zQ

the.red.baron

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120927527#Comment_120927527

they grow spuds all over the east of england, extremely similar to the east of ireland, where weirdly, thats where we grow all our spuds

we produce similar numbers for our size

there is nothing to stop them growing maris pipers if they wanted to

climate is basically the same on rain, slightly warmer, which doesn't make much difference for spuds

bigned

It might be that the UK seed growers are keeping the good seed for the UK market and then sending what's left overseas? Just a thought. There's a kind of culture of doing the best for your fellow people over there, something that Ireland lacks.

Danzy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120931217#Comment_120931217

There isn't that culture there, there is here, probably more here than in most places.

bigned

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120931602#Comment_120931602

I've to disagree with you there. The amount of talking behind backs here is unbelievable.

Waffletraktor

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120927527#Comment_120927527

Fenland is a peat-silt.

Waffletraktor

There's plenty of Pipers grown in Ireland it's just unlike chipping where the quality req is for dry matter and sugars, eatin spuds need a designer spud with a perfect finish to keep the housewife happy. You need to put on alot of water to keep skins moist and be gentle harvesting not to scratch or bruise.

Reason for a rise in prices are quality spuds were scarce last year and there wasn't the market to bother storing until late spring. Currently green top Rooster being dug as what's in store is already spoken for at nearly double last autumns price.