POTATO PRICES continue to ease due to a combination of weaker contract values, slower movement and pressure to move poorer quality supplies, says the British Potato Council.

Some spot markets rose by £10-£15/t in the w/e Aug 31, as wet conditions restricted harvest.

But the forecast spell of good weather was likely to increase available supplies and put pressure on values, said the BPC‘s David Want.

The council‘s weekly average price dropped by £7/t in the w/e Aug 27, to £111.38, with the spot average at £117.59/t.

Total clearance was slightly behind last year, at 19,100ha (47,200 acres) to Aug 26, totalling 15% of the crop.

In some areas up to 25% of crops were rotting in waterlogged fields, said the BPC, and quality concerns would be paramount this season.

The wet conditions would increase incidence of blight, low dry matter, poor skin finish, slugs, wireworm and rots, said Mr Want.

“But if we have good weather for the next three to four weeks then these concerns will pale into insignificance.”

Good quality white varieties for packing were fetching £100-£120/t, with red varieties, Maris Piper and King Edwards selling for £150-£200/t, he said.

Spot processing markets range from £50/t up to £70/t, although cheap imports from Belgium – equating to about £60/t delivered to the UK – was putting pressure on these levels.