New initiative designed to boost yields and profits for P.E.I. process growers

The P.E.I. government, P.E.I. Potato Board, Cavendish Farms and its process growers have all teamed up for a new three-year initiative designed to increase yields and profits.

Money has been earmarked to do targeted research to improve yields on the Island and at the same time protect the environment.

Potato board officials say yields on the Island for process growers haven't been increasing the way they have been in some other parts of North America.

The project will also ensure all that information gets to growers in a timely manner saidRyan Barrett,the research coordinator at the P.E.I. Potato Board and the project lead of the Enhanced Agronomy Initiative.

"All parties want to see increased marketable yields of potatoes so that's not just gross yield of potatoes but also high quality potatoes," said Barrett. "And so the processor wants to see that but the growers very much do as well."

About $180,000 has been set aside each year for the project for the next three years.If successful,the work could move beyond that period, said Barrett.

Some research projects are already underway, while others will be developed later this year.

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