Weekly Potato Report

Home Market Prices: (Ex-farm) Week beginning 16/02/04

Prices quoted above are direct to packer/merchants in bags (10kg) or boxes.

Most of the selling pressure in the market is confined to ambient stocks as more growers begin to open cold stores. Also, as is usual for the time of year, many growers are anxious to clear remaining stocks ahead of the planting campaign. The share of remaining stocks is now located in the north-east and west of the country, with the majority of growers finished in the south. While soil conditions remain favorable for planting, growth continues to be variable, which is slowing early crop progress. There is interest from export traders in Golden Wonder and Rooster, with limited movement taking place.

GB: Planting progress in Britain is estimated to be 40% of last season's level. Most growers are anxious to wait for more temperate conditions before they get started. Latest stocks estimates from the BPC show total home crop supplies at 1.8 million tonnes at the end of February. This is down 15.7% from 2002 but 2% below three years ago.