The total potato plantings for 2009 is just 0.9% lower than in 2008 at 129,100ha, according to the first estimate made by the Potato Council.
The estimate is made primarily from the Council's planting returns, which is filled in by all growers with an area larger than 3ha.
Given average yields of 44.6t/ha that area would produce a total potato crop of 5.76m tonnes.