Potato prices are expected to pick up following sharp falls during August.
According to ADHB figures, spot prices paid to producers fell to £167 per tonne in the week ending 30 August, around £40 less than the same week last year and around half the price per tonne from back in May when it hit a high of £303 per tonne.
Drier weather has led to lower yields for some growers, which is likely to boost the value per tonne. Between 15 per cent and 30 per cent of this year’s crop has now been lifted. “I think there will still be plenty of British crop to go round,” said Tim Papworth, NFU potato forum chairman, “and it is good quality as there has not been so much of a problem with potato blight.”
There are also problems with overseas production that could also drive up prices. East European production is expected to drop due to earlier frosts and Israeli production is being hit by disease following the sudden heatwave.
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