Weekly Potato Report

Week beginning 20/06/'05

Home Market Prices: (Ex-farm)

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

Trade has quietened a little but is normal for this time of year. Kerr's Pink stocks are extremely low and now proving very difficult to source. Rooster stocks are also quite low at this stage. Movement on Home Guard is reported to be good and stocks should soon run out. The Queen harvest has begun in Wexford and other areas of the country with a very high demand for product. Lifting progress will increase rapidly over the next two to three weeks. Crops are reported to be yielding well. Prices range from €900 to €1,100 in bags. Superquinn are still planning to go ahead with Rooster Value Packs. IFA believes that this is not in the best interest of the sector, as grower returns will suffer in the long run.

GB: Trading in the 2004 maincrop is declining with movement now dominated by contracts. Ample stocks of packing Whites remain although many are only of Value Pack quality. Growers are confident of clearing stores although sales are difficult with prices under pressure. Good bagging Wilja continues to meet a steady demand. Early trade remains difficult under an excess of imported supplies still arriving on the market. Harvest and movement slowed last week. However, clearance remains above last year