asked the Taoiseach the number of acres of potatoes that were grown in this country in 1981, 1982, 1983; and the number of potato growers involved in those years.
Written Answers. - Potato Statistics.
504.
Information on the area under potatoes is collected annually in the June enumeration. Estimates for the years 1981 to 1983 inclusive were as follows:
1981: 86,500 acres;
1982: 91,000 acres;
1983: 79,900 acres.
Estimates of the number of growers are not compiled annually. The latest year for which information is available is 1980 when the estimated number of agricultural holdings growing potatoes, as derived from a sample analysis of the June 1980 returns for holdings over one acre, was 101,600. A distribution of these holdings by area grown is given in the following table:
|
Area grown (acres) |
No. of holdings |
Acreage grown* (acres) |
|
Under 1 |
75,500 |
29,500 |
|
1 to less than 2 |
19,000 |
19,600 |
|
2 to less than 3 |
3,000 |
6,000 |
|
3 to less than 5 |
1,700 |
5,800 |
|
5 or more |
2,400 |
34,600 |
|
All size groups |
101,600 |
95,500 |
* Note this acreage relates to potatoes grown on holdings over one acre only. The total acreage of potatoes recorded in June 1980 was 102,700 — the difference being mainly accounted for by potatoes grown on holdings between a quarter acre and one acre.