Potatoes: 19/12/2017

Ex-farm potato prices reported to the IFA

Comment: Demand has remained strong in the run-up to Christmas. Unfortunately, a number of retailers have discounted potatoes again this week, as they jostle for customer footfall. This creates much anger among growers, as they should be receiving a premium on their product at this time of year when demand is at its peak, instead of reductions in some cases. The IFA and the Irish Potato Federation (IPF) have agreed an industry standard regarding the return and valuation of potato tare. All growers should familiarise themselves with the standard and the IFA recommends that farmers should look for the return of their tare. This will help to put some valuation on tare and benefit the overall market by taking product out of the system. Despite the difficult market for some white varieties, pre-pack quality Maris Piper is commanding a significant premium both in Ireland and the UK.