Newfoundland and Labrador will invest $2.75 in funding for land development to increase large-scale potato production, Stephanie Gordon reports for Potatoes in Canada.
The investment is part of a nearly $13 million funding announcement to create jobs in the province’s agriculture sector and assist farmers and producers. The $13 million in funding is part of a plan to support employment in rural communities and help open new markets and products for renewable resource-based businesses during the COVID-19 global pandemic.
“This plan will enhance measures already in place to support food self-sufficiency,” said Premier Dwight Ball. “Whether it is helping commercial farmers diversify their crops, making more Crown land available and accessible for farming, or conducting innovative crop research and enhancing local beef production, we are committed to supporting Newfoundland and Labrador’s agriculture sector well into the future.”
In 2019, according to Statistics Canada, Newfoundland and Labrador seeded 325 acres of potatoes. The province seeded 350 acres in 2018 and 2017.
Its maritime neighbours, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick seeded 1,600 and 16,400 acres in 2019 respectively. Prince Edward Island, known as Canada’s top potato producing province, seeded 85,500 acres in 2019.
Source: Potatoes in Canada
Photo: Gazette
