Jersey Royals potato planting 'helped by dry weather'

Potato growers will begin planting Jersey Royals this week

A Jersey potato grower has said the dry weather conditions were good for the start of the planting season.

Last year was a difficult season for Jersey Royals after drought conditions through April, May and June reduced the amount of potatoes grown and sold.

Profits were also affected by UK competition and good growing conditions for regional suppliers there.

Tim Ward from Albert Bartlett and Sons said planting through the winter was always challenging.

'Twice the rain'

But he said potato growers were relieved by the heavy rainfall in December.

He said: "By the end of November, we were net short of a lot of rain in Jersey and people were concerned about the lack of moisture content in the soil.

"But then, as is quite often the way, Mother Nature stepped in and gave us twice the amount of rain that we'd normally get in December.

"Then we've got a week's worth of dry weather forecast for this week so growers are out there planting away probably on schedule as per a normal season, so conditions are looking quite favourable."