Free potato protest to highlight outlet reduction

The potatoes are being given away at the MFNU's stand at the agricultural show

A farming union has given away hundreds of bags of Manx-grown potatoes for free to highlight a reduction in outlets for farmers to sell their crops on the island.

The surplus stock, being handed out at the Royal Manx Agricultural Show, was produced for sale in Shoprite stores before the chain was taken over by Tesco.

The Manx National Farmers' Union said there was a risk producers could "disappear" if consumers, including the government procurement team, did not choose local.

Tesco said it remained "committed to supporting and selling local produce" in its Manx stores. The government has been contacted for a comment.

Union secretary Sarah Comish said Manx farming was "on the line now" and needed "more routes to market", as the options on the island were "shrinking".

Visitors to the union's stand at the event at Knockaloe in Patrick would see an example of stock that there was "no place for" at the moment, she said.

"We also need people to start asking for local produce more, looking for it and making that little bit of extra effort to go to those places that provide it," she said.

Ean Parsons and Sarah Comish have called for more support for Manx farmers

Union president Ean Parsons said the potatoes were "left over and unsold" as the producers' sales had decreased by about 50% during the changeover of stores.

He said the so-called potato protest was to send the message "that if we don't buy local produce, it just won’t be here in future".

Mr Parsons also called for the government to make a "firm commitment" to use as much local produce as possible, which would in turn "improve the local economy".

"They are the biggest feeder of people every day on the Isle of Man, between schools, the hospital and the prison," he said.

"It would be an easy, quick fix."