Email

Print

OK, then, that made it very clear: not fit for consumption. But, when we visited the city's biggest market today - we found that vendors weren't so sure about the pink potato's unfitness. They told me the colour won't kill you:..

Courtney Weatherburne reporting
This morning at the Michael Finnegan Market we found one of those rosy pink potatoes that are said to be unsafe for consumption.

Reports are that they were smuggled in from Mexico and dyed to pass off as the locally produced Irish potatoes. But today, some of the market vendors dispelled that notion. They told us that nothing is wrong with these potatoes.

Maria Cowo, Market Vendor
"They say it came in yesterday. We didn't have those kinds of potatoes, we have the white one and the local one."

Courtney Weatherburne
"That are healthy and good for consumption. What have you heard about it because I am sure you hear people talking about it - rumors. Has it made anyone sick? Have you heard reports of that and is it really dangerous for consumption?"

Maria Cowo, Market Vendor
"Okay, the thing is BAHA is saying that the red potatoes are making people sick, but I have lots of customers who buy it for cook and none of them have told me that someone got sick from those potatoes."

Courtney Weatherburne
"You are talking about the pink potatoes? The one that they say are dye and not good for consumption."

Maria Cowo, Market Vendor
"We don't have that one. We have the red one and the local one."

Courtney Weatherburne
"So you don't have any issue with the customers getting sick after buying any of your potatoes?"

Maria Cowo, Market Vendor
"No ma'am."

Nelson Caceais, Market Vendor
"Just the skin that they usually paint, because most of the people are saying that this thing is happening in Cayo, that they are painting the potato to make it look like the Mexican one, so they can sell it here at the market."

Courtney Weatherburne
"So, it's not the contraband potato."

Nelson Caceais, Market Vendor
"It's local potato, but they just paint it. It looks like people doesn't like the local potato and that's why they try it because they cannot sell the potato, that's why they paint it to try to sell it."

Courtney Weatherburne
"To make it look like the Mexican one so they can make sale."

Nelson Caceais, Market Vendor
"Yes ma'am. That is what is happening right now."

Courtney Weatherburne
"So, pretty much you don't heard of any of the customers or anybody that got sick after eating that potato?"

Nelson Caceais, Market Vendor
"Up to now, we don't have anybody complaining to us about the potato. Maybe, you will hear more ahead. I think it's just the skin. I don't think it will sickened people."

And while they say it doesn't make people sick, the scare does affect sales for these market vendors.

Rostia Rivero, Market Vendor
"Contraband potatoes and with chemical and thing, people would not want to use the potatoes. I told them this morning that I know the local potatoes and this is what I have because some of them are afraid of buying the potato now from me, because they feel like that is the same kind of pretty pink potatoe that they are getting and so I told them no, this is our local potatoes that I have to sell."

Courtney Weatherburne
"Have you heard of any of the customers who buy or eat some of the pink potatoes and got sick or poison? You heard of any reports like that?"

Rostia Rivero, Market Vendor
"No. Nobody have told me that they have gotten sick and thing. People tells me that the potato is soft, nice and creamy."

BAHA continues confiscating the potatoes and says it is analyzing the product.