Irish Potato Sector Boosted by Beotanics' Virus-Free Mini Tubers

A Kilkenny-based clean plant technology company is playing a key role in Ireland's effort to rebuild a self-sufficient seed potato sector.

FitzGerald Nurseries, part of the Beotanics group, was recently featured in AgriLand.ie for its contribution to producing certified mini tubers — an essential step in the early stages of seed potato production.

Following Brexit, the EU banned the import of seed potatoes from the UK, prompting the Irish Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) to support domestic solutions. FitzGerald Nurseries responded proactively, becoming certified by DAFM to produce very high health pre-basic, virus-free mini tubers via tissue culture.

Managing Director Pat FitzGerald explained the company's role in the revival of the seed potato industry: the ability to supply big volumes of clean, certified planting material is central to rebuilding Ireland's seed supply chain post-Brexit.

The company works with DAFM's Tops Farm in Donegal to source clean plant tissue cultures, which are then multiplied in its Enniscorthy lab and transferred to sterile greenhouses. These mini tubers are grown under protection from virus-transmitting aphids and eventually supplied to specialist seed potato farmers.

FitzGerald Nurseries is building a bank of varieties and will offer certified varieties like Rooster, Premieres and Queens in the coming season, remaining focused on the first link in the supply chain where its tissue culture expertise lies.