Potato Prices Strengthen

Easter has given a welcome boost to the potato trade and with the weather remaining on the cool side, consumption will remain robust over the coming weeks.

Prices have strengthened again in the wholesale market as the number of sellers in the market and general stocks diminish. There is a general acceptance among buyers that they need to pay more to secure supplies however, growers need to have the confidence to push for higher returns which in effect are not even covering the costs of storage.

Planting progress has been rapid over the past few days as all regions are getting windows of opportunity. Many growers are commenting that good land is difficult to source in all areas and is quite expensive. The past few years have indicated that there is a declining market for poor quality potatoes so therefore planting potatoes on secondary land is a nonstarter while paying over the odds for land is not advisable either in view of a possible oversupply situation.

Ex-Farm Prices Reported to IFA