Ireland's remaining 1,100 potato growers were told to cut back 10 percent-or at least 5,000 acres-on their planting this year.
With prices at a five-year low, a national conference in Dublin was held to convince growers that to maintain economic returns a reduction was needed.
Growers are receiving about US$132 a ton compared to over $300 a year ago. It was only bad weather in '98 and '99 that resulted in high prices then.
Ireland has lost 600 growers in the past five years but still had 39,000 total acres planted last year.
The poor returns come despite Ireland having the highest potato consumption in Europe at a little more than 300 pounds a year per person.