Potato interest confined to top end

By FWi staff

IT is hard to conceive how interest for the poorer end of the quality scale can fall any lower, according to Rob Burrow of the British Potato Council.

“It is only quality packing material in bulk and chipping produce in bags that is showing any enthusiasm,” he said in the BPCs weekly price report.

Bulk grade 1 material has remained stable over the week at 50-60/t, with top samples at 70-80/t.

Best Estima and Cara are higher trading up to 90/t, with top Piper at 120-140/t.

Grade 2 potatoes continue to remain sluggish, with bottom quotes at 15-40/t. Most are selling between 25-35/t.

The bag trade is also feeling under pressure with material starting from 20/t, although the majority is at 30-40/t and best is at 70/t.

Spot processing chipping material starts at 15/t up to 35/t.

Despite the continuing pressure of poor quality stocks on the marketplace, the demand for quality and contract movement has helped maintain overall prices over the week, said the BPC.

As a result the BPC weekly GB ex-farm average inched up 17p to 61.31/t over the week. This compares with 188.62/t in 1999.