IN CASE YOU didn’t know it’s National Potato Day – a day to celebrate and most likely eat the humble spud in the variety of different and interesting ways it can be cooked.

The day of celebration is a Bord Bia initiative which aims to put the spotlight on the “trusty vegetable, which graces thousands of dinner plates across the length and breadth of the country every day”.

Now in its third year Bord Bia runs the day in conjunction with the Irish Potato Federation  and the Irish Farmers Association.

A number of events are taking place today including charity runs and free tastings (of potatoes presumably). Log on to Potato.ie for more.

But before you do that, check out these interesting facts about potatoes courtesy of Bord Bia:

1. In total 245,000 tonnes of potatoes were produced in Ireland last year. That equal to the weight of a large cruise liner.
2. There are 535 potato growers in Ireland with over five hectares of land.
3. The household purchase penetration of potatoes is 97 per cent
4. The retail value for potato sales last year is valued at €165 million.
5. Meath, Dublin, Wexford, Louth, Donegal and Cork are the largest potato growing counties in Ireland
6. The farm gate value of the potato sector was estimated at €122m for the 2012-2013 season
7. There is more Vitamin C in a potato than an orange.

Read: 7 people who think the Irish only eat potatoes

Read: 13 reasons why the potato should DEFINITELY be Ireland’s National Vegetable

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