Food & Drink

Spuds – aren’t they great? You can roast them, boil them, turn them into chips – is there anything that the humble spud can’t do? EU lawmakers have finally started to cop on to the awesomeness of the potato because finally, our spud has been bestowed with a special status. It’s about time.

The Irish Daily Star reports today that an Irish potato has been granted special status after being selected for protection by the folks in charge of making EU law.

The safeguards won by the Comber Early spud means that its name cannot be pilfered by any imposter crops. So if you buy a bag of Comber Early spuds, all you’ll be getting in said bag is Comber Early spuds. Nice.

The potato has been granted Protect Geographical Indication (PGI) status which means that only spuds lifted from the fields around Comber in county Down can be called ‘new season Comber potatoes’ or ‘Comber Early potatoes.’

The Comber will join the ranks of an elite selection of protected foods such as champagne, cheese and parma ham – we just hope the fame doesn’t start going to its head.

Stormont’s agriculture and rural development minister Michelle O’Neill welcomed the new status of the spuds.

“PGI registration is good news for the local economy and will help local growers to market New Season combers domestically and further afield and protect against imitation,” she said.

Angus Wilson of the Northern Ireland Potato Stakeholders Form added:

“It is a real testament to New Season Combers that within an island known for potatoes, they can be identified as having unique characteristics.”

Finally, a little recognition for a vegetable that has been at the heart of Mammy-dinners in Ireland for centuries.