Potatoes: 27/07/2021

Ex-farm potato prices reported to the IFA

Low High Average

Rooster box €350 €410 €380

Rooster 10kg €3.60 €4.20 €3.90

Whites box €320 €370 €340

Queens 10kg €7.50 €8.50 €8

Comment: Last week’s heatwave resulted in a drop in consumption and demand, but it is improving this week as cooler conditions return. There were reports of many crops under heat stress following record temperatures last week. This has stunted some crops and yields are likely to reduce as a result. Many Queens crops along the east coast are now harvested and volumes in supermarkets are increasing. Weather conditions conducive to the spread of potato blight are currently in place, especially for parts of Donegal, and the northeast. Spraying opportunities will be limited due to weather conditions. Storm conditions have wreaked havoc across Europe. Rainfall totals were up to 120mm and 150mm in the worst hit areas, which included the main early processing area in Germany, southeastern Holland, east Belgium and northeastern France. There was an exceptional 200mm over three days in the centre of this block. Some growers have already resigned themselves to serious crop losses. Old-crop values have risen sharply, particularly in Germany and Belgium, in the last week.