Stocks of Queens Running Short

With the weather turning slightly after the occurrence of Storm Ali last week, ground frost has began to have an impact on crops of potatoes as it has slowed down growth in the past week. Many growers have began to burn off their main crop potatoes and are hoping for favourable digging conditions in the next couple of weeks, as we move into the unpredictable back-end of the year weather conditions to allow them to maximise their yield in what has been a difficult year in the sector.

Prices are holding every week as more new season crop enters the market on a daily basis. There is very low levels of old season Rooster Potatoes at retail level currently, with new season stocks filling up supermarket shelves. Many growers have reported to be running short of stocks of Queens and are expecting to be fully out of Queens inside the next fortnight. Meanwhile in the UK, the packing market continues to utilise old crop material, although this is coming to an end; burning off and lifting has continued to progress but is behind previous years, similar to Ireland.

Ex-Farm Potato Prices reported to IFA