The acreages of potatoes planted in Northern Ireland are slightly up year-on-year, reducing the immediate fear of needing to import food. The last two weather-affected seasons have raised concerns about shortages in supermarkets, leading to doubled prices since 2021 and the likelihood of further price increases. Wilsons Country, the biggest potato producer in Northern Ireland, has revealed that the warm May has allowed them to seed into warm soil, and the planting of this year's main season potato crops is nearing completion. Wilsons Country has been reducing its greenhouse gas emission levels by 4.5 tonnes of CO2e a week through collaboration with haulage business McCulla Ireland. The market for potatoes is strong in retail pack sales but weak in the catering sector due to the cost-of-living crisis. The potato is considered the world's most versatile vegetable and requires less water to grow than other staple food crops [4358b950].