Very little progress has been made on the potato harvest in the past week. A lot of growers around the country have still 20 to 30 % of their crop to harvest. With no major improvement in the weather outlook it is increasingly likely that these remaining potatoes may not be harvested until next Spring. At the very least this will lead to some loss of crop but if we get heavy frosts losses will be very severe.
As tare and harvest losses are higher than last season, the production from the 3% rise in acreage has been wiped out already. With crops still in the ground, the market is facing the real possibility that overall potato supply will be similar to the low levels seen last year due to the drought.
The extra cost of harvesting this year’s crop along with potential reduction in supply should lead to a rise in farm gate prices.
Lifting conditions are still proving very difficult across Europe, with many expecting a significant portion of the UK crop being carried into the new year. Farm gate prices have strengthened across a number of lines as growers refuse to sell quality material at current prices.
Ex-Farm Potato Prices reported to IFA
| Low | High | Average | |
| Rooster box | €330 | €380 | €350 |
| Rooster10 kg bag | €3.70 | €4.20 | €4.00 |
| Whites box | €300 | €350 | €330 |
| K Pinks 10kg bag | €5.00 | €5.50 | €5.20 |
