Potatoes: 13/06/2017

Ex-farm potato prices reported to the IFA

Comment: Consumer demand for potatoes has been strong over the past week, which is very encouraging considering the time of year. Confidence in the market has wavered a little recently. However, farmers must again remind themselves of the current market fundamentals. Stocks in store will be required until September and with old season whites virtually finished, this will allow increased sales of other Irish varieties. Some growers are still moving quantities of peeling material to Northern Ireland and, at this stage, no individual grower is sitting on any large volumes of potatoes. With most of the Homeguard cleared, new-season Queens, which were planted under cover in January and early February, are now on the market. Due to difficult harvesting conditions in the southeast and low yields, there is limited availability with demand outstripping supply.