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Potatoes: 30/10/2018
Ex-farm potato prices reported to the IFA
Comment: The excellent ground conditions and mild temperatures continue to keep a smile on the faces of potato growers, as they are working their way through their crops of potatoes. Growers are hoping that the favourable conditions continue, as harvest is behind, with many growers, especially in the northeast of the country, reported to be behind on digging compared with this time last year. However, many growers in the southeast have finished their harvest for 2018 and yield is reported to be variable, dependent on variety and whether the crop was irrigated during the drought period or not. Prices remain stable, with very little change reported as increased volumes enter the market on a weekly basis as digging progresses. Queens will exit the market inside the next few days, with growers reporting to be running very low on supplies. Meanwhile, in Europe, due to the summer drought, the eating potato crop is forecast to be nearly 20% smaller than last year. Growers are struggling to fill contracted supplies, while some growers are benefiting from the strong free trade prices as a result.
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