A poor growing season has seen average potato yields in Northern Ireland decrease by between 5% and 10% this year, according to Wilson’s Country chief executive Angus Wilson.

Weather has also influenced the quality of the potato crop harvested in 2016, with issues such black spot and greens reported in some crops, Wilson said at a press briefing in Belfast on Monday.

“We had a very cold April, so crops were slow to get in, and then not a particularly good summer, with a lack of sunshine, has meant that crops would be a bit less than average. Good weather in October allowed a good harvest, so all the crop that was in the ground is nearly all out now,” he said.

Angus said that the yields in Britain and across Europe have been similar to NI, with some crop losses reported in the Netherlands and Germany due to heavy rainfall.

“There is certainly not a surplus of potatoes at this stage and the market appears to be in balance. We will know better after Christmas and Easter if there will be enough to supply the European market as potatoes come out of stores,” he said.

Packers

Wilson’s Country processes and packages potatoes from around 20 farmer growers from both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. The Craigavon based company supplies fresh potatoes and pre-cooked convenience food products to retailers mainly in Ireland, as well as processed potatoes for the food service industry.

Growers agree what acreage to plant to supply Wilson’s Country each year and are paid for 50% of the crop on a set contract price and 50% on a market price influenced by the European market at harvest time.

Consumption

Most recent data from Kantar World Panel indicates that the volume of fresh potatoes sold to NI consumers has reduced by 8.1% in the 12 months to 9 October 2016, However, spend has increased by 1.2% to £43.6m due to a 10% increase in price paid per kilogramme.

Consumption per person reduced by 8.4% to 80.4kg over the year, However, managing director at Wilson’s Country Lewis Cunningham was optimistic that the trend of falling ware potato consumption in NI has levelling off.

He said that consumption of ware potatoes has fallen sharply from an average of over 200kg per person 15 to 20 years ago, but added that the reduction has began to level off over the past few years.

Cunningham said that demand for processed convenience potato products has grown significantly over the past 12 months. “It is interesting to note that sales of other carbohydrates, including rice and pasta, have remained static over the past year,” he added.

Listen to an interview with Angus Wilson of Wilson’s Country below:

Listen to “Angus Wilson on the NI potato sector” on Spreaker.

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