GETTY The EU is spending £1.8m to tell Ireland to eat more potatoes

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Beginning this week, the multi-million pound programme aims to "raise consumer awareness of the versatility and nutritional values of fresh potatoes". In a joint initiative by the Bora Bia (the Irish Food Board) and Britain's Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB), the three-year promotional mission is being half-funded by the EU Commission. It means taxpayers are landed with a £1.8m bill for the push to encourage Irish consumers to eat more spuds, despite the country being one of the biggest eaters of potatoes, per capita, in the world.

In 2009, more than 90kg of potatoes passed the dinner plates of every Irish person. Historically, the country was so dependent on potatoes that the infamous Irish Potato Famine between 1845 and 1853 caused around one million people to die.

However, despite their famed love of spuds, Irish ministers have become worried by a 25 per cent fall in fresh potato sales in the country over the last ten years. Commenting on a similar trend in Britain, Nick White - head of marketing and corporate affairs for AHDB Potatoes - said: “We really need to challenge consumer perceptions of fresh potatoes – particularly amongst younger age groups – in order to combat declining sales and consumption. "This integrated campaign will aim to reach consumers at every opportunity; instilling positive shopping and eating habits that will benefit the industry both now and in the long-term.”

This may well be the first of a sequence of money wasting promotions where the Italians are persuaded to eat more spaghetti, the Spaniards more oranges, and the French to drink more wine. A UKIP spokesman