There is a general expectation that the costs of fresh potatoes would increase across Europe. Produce growers that offer high-quality product are refusing to accept lower pricing.
Price hikes are currently being driven by reports that stocks and yields have been drastically cut. With the added demand from Ukrainian refugees and interest from importers, prices in Poland continue to hit record highs.
“In the U.K. for chipping varieties, demand has shown a few signs of improvement over the last two weeks and while fieldwork is a priority, sourcing supplies has not always been easy. There are reports that buyers for the French fry sector and the chipping industry have been targeting some growers and trying to assess availability,” according to a recent IFA report.
In Ireland, the spud harvest is halted and with no improvement in conditions forecast, a different outlook on the season is emerging. In October alone, 106mm of rain fell at the Met Eireann Dublin airport site, double this figure – 206mm fell at the Ballyhaise site. The 2022 harvest was already delayed, as it stands, over 20% of the national crop could have to be over-wintered.
“The is good demand for Rooster for peeling with prices reported north of EUR250 this week. Overall prices have firmed up this week. Consumption has also improved as colder weather sets in,” the IFA experts concluded.
A source: https://www.potatobusiness.com
