An 11 per cent drop in the value and volume of potatoes sold on the Irish retail market is causing some concern to Bord Bia, the Republic’s food board.
Potatoes, once the staple diet of the Irish, showed by far the biggest fall in a three-month monitor of fruit and vegetable purchases by Irish households conducted for the board. Now the hope is that the arrival of new potatoes on the market will help arrest the slide, according to Michael Slawski of Bord Bia’s horticultural division.
He blamed the general trend towards convenience foods for the fall, but said it must be seen against the background of potato consumption in Ireland being traditionally much higher than in the UK and elsewhere. However, the board is fighting back, bidding to persuade shoppers that the potato is a convenience food and represents good value for money in these difficult economic times.
A special ‘best in season’ website has been established to spread the message and features a potato recipe competition that, according to Slawski, has already attracted an impressive entry. It is being complemented by a radio advertising campaign and will be followed by a potato promotional drive, in conjunction with retailers, in the autumn.
Overall, the three-month survey showed that the volume of fruit and vegetables sold by retailers fell 3.1 per cent, while the value dropped by almost six per cent. The board attributed the fall in value to the numerous promotions mounted by the multiples in the ongoing supermarket price war. In many instances, fruit and vegetables have been used as loss leaders to attract customers, or offered at half price, a strategy that has led to street protests by the Irish Farmers’ Association.
Slawski acknowledged there was a squeeze on growers’ margins, but pointed out that Bord Bia has no role in setting prices. Potatoes apart, the survey offered good news on vegetable crops, with volumes of cauliflower up 20 per cent, broccoli 18 per cent, turnips 16 per cent, swedes 15 per cent, and carrots and cabbage up 11 per cent and 12 per cent respectively. Other major lines such as mushrooms, tomatoes and lettuce showed modest growth, while pepper sales were in slight decline.
Fruit sales were down seven to eight per cent in both value and volume, the survey found - a drop blamed on tighter family budgets - but blueberries proved the exception, with the volume of sales up a remarkable 91 per cent since the same period last year. Strawberries also did well, with sales up 23 per cent, although the value fell 27 per cent due to the price war.
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