Farmers’ crops seriously impacted by severe flooding incident

The recent severe flooding incident has seriously impacted farmers’ crops with a “significant amount of crop” lost.

The Ulster Farmers’ Union said that potato farmers and vegetable farmers had been assessing the damage after the flooding across counties Down, Armagh and Antrim. They added that due to the wet weather, the quality of surviving produce would be “heavily impacted”.

In an online post, the UFU said its office bearers had visited potato farmers over the weekend following the severe rainfall and subsequent flooding incidents.

“This is a major blow for our growers who have put a huge amount of investment into producing a premium crop and are now trying to salvage what remains,” they said.

“The UFU has been engaging with local politicians to help raise awareness of the difficult situation our growers are currently facing,” they added.

Meanwhile, Retail NI has urged the Secretary of State to provide an immediate funding package to support those businesses who have had their properties damaged because of the flooding.

In a statement, Retail NI Chief Executive Glyn Roberts and Hospitality Ulster Chief Executive Colin Neill said support was needed to get those businesses affected “back on their feet again”.

“At present no financial aid is available for businesses that have been wrecked because of the flooding. We have engaged with the Department of Finance on rates hardship, but it is nowhere near the type of help these businesses need,” they said.

“Why is it business flood victims in the Republic and elsewhere in the UK can receive financial help but in Northern Ireland they receive nothing.

“The Secretary of State needs to bring forward a financial package which will help these businesses get back on their feet again. Unless this is brought forward then many of these businesses and the jobs they support will be gone well before Christmas.”