Flogas supports The International Year of the Potato

The United Nations designated 2008 as the International Year of the Potato to mark the importance of this crop in reducing hunger and malnutrition throughout the world. The potato, is in fact the third most important food crop in the world.

Historically, Ireland has had a strong association with the potato. The country's poor depended on the potato as their main source of food in the 19th century and this resulted in the widespread famine that swept the country when blight destroyed the potato crop in 1845 and 1846. Because of this strong association, the Irish Government and the Department of Agriculture Fisheries & Food in particular took a lead role both nationally and internationally at raising the awareness of this important crop.

The open day, on the 7th July 2008 at the Department's Potato Centre Tops, Raphoe was one of a number of events planned to celebrate and promote the potato. The Potato Centre holds and maintains Ireland's National Collection of over 400 potato varieties some of which date back to famine times.

Neven Maguire and Mary Coughlan T.D., Minister for Enterprise, Trade & Employment at the open day at The Potato Centre (Click on the image to view a larger version)