PotatoPotato Market Reports

Potato Harvest Draws to a Close

Potato growers are beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel as the potato harvest of 2018 draws to a close. Unlike previous years, there has been little disruption to the harvest as both ground and weather conditions were favourable throughout the digging season.

It is estimated that there is less than 10% of the planted potato crop left to be harvested with the majority of growers expecting to be finished up inside the next week. Prices are holding stable with no price change being reported over the past week with the tonne box of Rooster potatoes continuing to trade at €530. Growers are reasonably happy with quality and it is better than was feared during the drought period. Meanwhile the situation in the UK is similar to Ireland, Fieldwork continues to make progress with many growers now having finished lifting. Prices for best quality supplies have stayed flat in most markets, though ongoing quality issues have meant that trade in some sectors has slowed.

Ex-Farm Potato Prices reported to IFA

  Low High Average
Rooster box (New season) €515 €575 €530
Rooster 10kg bags (New Season) €6.00 €6.75 €6.30
Whites box (New season) €500 €550 €525
Kerr Pinks 10kg (New season) €6.25 €6.75 €6.50
Golden Wonder box (New Season) €680 €720 €700

Potato growers are beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel as the potato harvest of 2018 draws to a close. Unlike previous years, there has been little disruption to the harvest as both ground and weather conditions were favourable throughout the digging season. It is estimated that there is less than 10% of the planted potato crop left to be harvested with the majority of growers expecting to be finished up inside the next week. Prices are holding stable with no price change being reported over the past week with the tonne box of Rooster potatoes continuing to trade at €530. Growers are reasonably happy with quality and it is better than was feared during the drought period. Meanwhile the situation in the UK is similar to Ireland, Fieldwork continues to make progress with many growers now having finished lifting. Prices for best quality supplies have stayed flat in most markets, though ongoing quality issues have meant that trade in some sectors has slowed.

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