UK farmers have raised alarms over a likely shortage of potatoes, a staple food item in many British households, due to last year’s poor harvest caused by heavy rain.
The potato harvest in November yielded a record low of 4.1 million tonnes, leading to the possibility of relying on stocked supplies. Rain-impacted crop losses were prevalent in October, which saw nearly twice the average rainfall due to storms Agnes, Babet, and Ciaran.
“The British potato harvest has been hit hard by heavy rain and flooding in recent weeks, causing delayed lifting and large crop losses. This was preceded by a cold, wet spring and a cool summer with low light levels,” explained Fred Searle, editor of Fresh Produce Journal.
While there appear to be sufficient stored potatoes to meet existing demand, the situation could change in the coming months. Prices of non-imported potatoes have risen by over 20 percent in supermarkets, with existing stocks predicted to run dry by the summer. This situation could force suppliers to replace UK potatoes with foreign-produced equivalents like those from Egypt.
Rising energy and fertilizer costs have further stressed the agriculture sector and hampered UK potato production. “Potatoes are in my blood, in my DNA. Everything is changing. Five years ago, as a nation, we produced six million tonnes. Now we’re down to four million,” said Tim Rooke, chairman of the National Farmers’ Union Potato Policy Group.
Escalating tensions with Russia have also threatened the UK’s cod and haddock supply. With the dwindling potato situation, Britain’s popular dishes of fish and chips, roast potatoes, fish pies, and even packets of crisps (potato chips) could face an uncertain future.
