Potato Council Report February 2024
Potato Market Report
31.01.2024
| Low | High | Average | |
| Rooster box (new season) | €625 | €675 | €650 |
| Rooster 10kg (new season) | €8 | €9 | €8.50 |
| Kerr Pinks 10kg (new season) | €9 | €10 | €9.5 |
| Markie wholesale (chipping) 25kg bag | €14 | €15 | €14.50 |
Another cold snap is boosting sales and consumption as demand remains strong. The availability of pre-pack quality is tightening and there appears to be plenty of enquiries about remaining stock. The viability of any crop which was unharvested is now in doubt after the latest cold snap. This will further tighten supplies.
Across Europe, in the fresh sector, retail sales are holding well with recent price increases but there has been a very noticeable change since Covid of a move over to home cooked fries in preference to fresh. Export prices are also holding firm. In Eastern Europe, domestic demand is still being covered by their own production but enquiries are being made about availability later in the season.
Food Regulator
The new office of the Agri-Food Regulator was launched in December. This new State body is tasked with regulating the food supply chain, An Rialálaí Agrabhia, will play a very important role in bringing fairness back into our food supply chain and levelling the playing pitch in negotiations between farmers, processors and retailers. Former IFA President Joe Healy will chair the Board. More information is available on https://www.ifa.ie/campaigns/agri-food-regulator-up-and-running-next-month/
Activity since last Council
- IFA led a campaign around the difficult harvest conditions in the Autumn, including a piece on RTE news. IFA engaged with retailers and packers on this issue.
- IFA met with Minister Kieran O’Donnell on the issue of commercial rates. In recent years there has been an increase in inspections on potato, tillage and horticulture premises by Local Government on behalf of the Valuation Office. Inspectors are deeming storage sheds, packing sheds, and washing bays ratable. These buildings are not ratable by virtue of constituting “Farm buildings” as defined in the Valuation Act 2001. If a precedent is set, then almost all agriculture buildings could be viewed as ratable, creating a potentially disastrous situation for all agriculture sectors. Accordingly, the current exemption is not fit for purpose. The Minister agreed to review what practises are taking place in local authorities.
- IFA hosted an online meeting of Potato Growers to discuss the harvest. Shay Phelan from Teagasc also attended the meeting.
- IFA met with all leading retailers to discuss how the season is unfolding, the spiralling input prices and adjustment to prices to aid growers during this critical period.
- IFA addressed the Joint Oireachtas Committee on the topic of “Challenges in the Irish Horticulture sector with a focus on Food Waste”. More details can be found https://www.ifa.ie/farm-sectors/fairness-must-be-restored-to-irish-horticulture-sector
Upcoming Activity/Events
- A National Potato meeting will take place later this month. More details to follow.
- IFA will continue to monitor the origin of produce with the use of Isotope testing.
- IFA continues to engage with retailers on spiralling input costs and setting up meetings with retailer buyers and packers at this critical period.
- IFA will continue to contact growers to ensure they are aware of the costs of production and engage in both stocks/acreage surveys.
- IFA will attend a Copa working party meeting on Potatoes on March 5th.
