Allister raises plight of forgotten potato farmers
01 November 2010
TUV Leader Jim Allister has expressed his disappointment that almost a year on from the severe weather losses among potato farmers there has still been no financial aid.
In a statement Jim Allister said, “DARD and DFP have let these farmers down. Soothing talk has not been translated into necessary help. Even the bankrupt Republic found money to assist their potato farmers, giving them a distinct competitive advantage over
“The amount of money involved is not huge, but the political will to help seems to be lacking. I am, therefore, renewing my call on the DARD and Finance Ministers to get their act together and come up with the goods.
“We see trade missions funded around the world, which is good, but at the same time those potato exporters who saw their crop devastated last year are abandoned, with no help.
“Nor is hiding behind EU rules on state aid a credible excuse, because both the de minimus aid exception and the precedent of approval for weather aid renders such a surmountable hurdle. So, my message to government is waken up to the neglected needs of this forgotten section of our farming industry and show yourselves on the side of economic survival.”
