Comment: The cooler weather that prevailed over the past week has helped potato consumption to remain buoyant.

Store materials are getting low, with more growers now finished selling. The situation is similar in the European market, where stocks of table potatoes are declining rapidly and prices are firm.

Remaining planting is progressing well. Wind damage to the early coastal crops was reported on the east coast as a result of storm Hannah last month.

Recent low temperatures would also have affected the development of the crop. Weather-wise, dry weather conditions could be an issue for the east coast in the coming weeks. In northern Europe, water levels are already a concern, with parts of France and Germany already having some restrictions in place.

Similar conditions have been experienced across Europe with planting in excellent conditions almost complete, but cool overnight temperatures and the fact that soils are very dry are impeding the crop slightly.

The new-crop from Spain is starting to appear and European buyers have become more selective. In the UK, demand for exports remains high for processing and packing supplies.