A difficult growing season has seen average potato yields in NI decrease by between 5% and 10% this year, Wilson’s Country chief executive Angus Wilson has said.

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At a press briefing on Monday, Wilson said that the weather has also influenced the quality of the potato crop harvested in 2016, with issues such as black dot arising in storage, as well as internal issues in some crops.

“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.

Wilson said that yields in Britain and 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,” Wilson said.

Most recent data from Kantar Worldpanel indicates that the volume of ware 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.

Wilson’s Country managing director Lewis Cunningham is optimistic that the reduction in fresh potato consumption in NI is now levelling off. It has fallen from over 200kg per person 15 years ago to 80kg now.