P.E.I. doesn't have a potato shortage, says agriculture minister

Agriculture Minister Robert Henderson says there is no shortage of potatoes on P.E.I.

The comment came one day after Cavendish Farms announced it was closing its fresh produce packaging facility in O'Leary, P.E.I., citing "limited availability of potatoes on the Island" in a news release.

Asked by CBC News: Compass host Louise Martin whether the Island is facing a shortage, Henderson said, "I would say not, in the respect we do grow 85,000 acres of potatoes on P.E.I. We have before grown in excess of 100,000 acres."

Yield, not acres

The Cavendish Farms release said P.E.I. farms must grow more potatoes by increasing yields, not acres.

The government is working on that, Henderson said.

"We're doing a number of things to make sure we can try to get the maximum potential yield out of an acre of potatoes on P.E.I. We think we've got good soil conditions to do that," the minister said.

"But there are factors that are sometimes beyond our control. I get where Cavendish Farms is saying some of the issues around supplemental irrigation come from weather.

"The patterns seem to have changed and it does create a bit of a disparity in some locations — even within Prince Edward Island — how you get that yield when you don't have the water to do that."

'I can see there would be some legitimacy'

Asked if the survival of Cavendish Farms could be at stake over supplemental irrigation, Henderson said he thinks "it's really a business decision."

"If they are looking to prioritize their operations and focusing on potatoes they have to bring in to P.E.I. to process for the frozen market, yet they're turning potatoes off of P.E.I. for the fresh table market, I can see that there would be some legitimacy in considering keeping all those particular potatoes for your primary focus as a business entity."

High-capacity farm irrigation wells have been under a moratorium since 2002. The research required to consider lifting the moratorium is not yet complete, Henderson said.

Deep well research ongoing

The Canadian Rivers Institute is researching safe levels for aquatic life and river systems, Henderson said. Research also continues on soil fertility and soil health, and how they could be affected by irrigation.

"The reality is too much water can be as much a problem as not enough water," Henderson said.

Cavendish Farms will attempt to integrate the 40 out-of-work employees into its other business entities, he said.

"It's always disheartening. When a business decides to change its operation and not require as much labour, there's an adjustment that occurs," he said.

"We in the west have had those adjustments in the past. We've always rebounded from them and I'm sure this will be no different."

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