Australian potato shortage now impacting potato chips as well as frozen fries

Australian supermarket chain Woolworths has confirmed a major shortage has caused the price of potato-based snacks to soar – with one retailer charging an insane price for a single bag of chips. Heavy rainfall and major flooding has devastated Australia’s potato production, causing a 25 per cent spike in the wholesale potato price, causing Coles to introduce purchasing limits on frozen potatoes.

Now, a Woolworths spokesperson has confirmed the shortage has also impacted packet potato chips. Floods and poor growing conditions across the eastern seaboard resulted in a less than ideal harvest of potatoes, particularly those used to make packet chips or crisps.

Poor growing conditions in Tasmania have also put pressure on the supply of frozen chips because of poor growing conditions on the Apple Isle. All of this means that there is some pressure on potato product pricing and availability.

In one Brisbane Woolworths, Red Rock Deli’s cult honey soy chicken variety is on offer for a staggering AUD 6.30 (USD 4.3) for a 165g bag. Coles has the product selling for AUD 5.50 (USD 3.8). Social media users called the price "daylight robbery".

"It‘s during times like these that the ol’ needs and wants list gets a good-looking at," one said. Another commented they had resorted to buying chips "only when they’re on special".
 Before Christmas, Coles shocked Aussies in an act reminiscent of Covid restrictions, reintroducing purchase limits on frozen french fries to cope with the shortage. This weekend, Coles confirmed it would continue with the limit of two frozen potato products per customer for the foreseeable future.
 A Coles spokesman:
 

"Poor weather in the eastern states has affected supply of some frozen potato products across the industry. We thank customers for their patience while we work hard with suppliers to minimise disruption and return stock to normal levels in the coming months."

The chain’s fresh potato supply, however, will be unaffected. Woolworths has so far resisted limits to purchases of potato products, as they expect the supply issues to normalise by mid-February.

A Woolworths spokesperson:
 

"We’re pleased to say we don’t have any product limits on frozen chips or packet chips."

The shortage is also affecting the commercial sector, with restaurants forced to either try hand-cut chips, or close their doors altogether. One such business was Roy’s Fish & Chips Takeaway Cafe in the New South Wales Far South Coast tourist town of Batemans Bay, forced to close their doors twice in a week over the New Year holiday due to the shortage.

A post on Roy’s Facebook page said that they have run out of potato‘s once again and will have to close their shop for trading tomorrow, and they will reopen once they source and receive more potatoes.

The Oven is a self-described pizza place in Strathalbyn, southeast of Adelaide, where the spud shortage has also caused problems. A post on their Facebook page from January 12 said that due to a potato shortage in Australia, they regret to inform you that they are currently unable to supply their normal chips. They have found a temporary substitute but will not have sweet potato for the time being.

And in the Victorian border town of Rutherglen, the ‘GRACE. bar + eatery’ is facing a similar situation. "Hot chips in crisis," they declare in a Facebook post uploaded on Friday.

Due to the great Australian potato shortage of 2022-23, at some stage, over the weekend, they will run out of their incredibly popular ‘truffle fries’.

But have no fear, they are now stocked with crinkle-cut chips. And let’s face it, they are undeniably the superior chip for crunch-to-fluffy center ratio.