Ireland Potato Market Update August 24th

It is anticipated that consumption and retail sales should pick up from this week onwards with the return of schools after the summer break. With the hot weather and lack of rainfall, there are numerous reports that maincrop Rooster yields will be significantly reduced in many areas.

New season queens are currenting in the region of EUR 4.60 – EUR 5.50 (about USD 4.58 - USD 5.48) ex farm in 10kg bags. Meetings are currently ongoing with packers and retailers on new season crops.

The increased cost of production must be reflected in the new season price. Growers cannot sustain another year of highly inflated production and storage costs. Price reporting will return shortly as we are currently in an interim period for new season crops.

Across Europe, Heavy storms (25 to 60mm) through France, Germany, Belgium and up through Eastern/Central Holland have given some hope, but agronomists are now waiting to see how crops react.

Conditions in France are described as "historically dry" and in Germany groundwater levels are "the lowest since 1881" with rainfall this year, similar to and slightly below 2018.

In the U.K. thunderstorms have hit some areas, however it is too little too late in many scenarios. Unirrigated crops are unlikely to benefit, but there is a lifeline now for crops have been regularly irrigated.