Gran Bretaña: UK potato prices remain elevated amid early crop delays
UK Food Department, Defra has recently released its potato production figures for 2022/23. This shows a decline of 6.4% compared to 2021/22, with total production at 4.8 million tons.
The crop harvested in 2022 is just 139,000 tons higher than the severely affected crop in 2012, which was decimated by a very wet season. According to Defra, the harvested area for 2022 was 115,000 hectares, and industry sources suggest that the 2023 harvest hectarage might be even smaller. Even with an average yield in 2023, this could still reduce overall production compared to 2022.
The old UK potato crop is mostly being traded at higher prices due to limited supply; the new season’s crop trade is also starting to pick up. However, demand is outpacing supply as freshly harvested crops are quickly bought up.
Despite some new crop entering the market, Maris Piper volumes remain low, which is reflected in the latest price trend. The Mintec Benchmark Prices for Grade 1 Packing Maris Piper EXW England were assessed at £470/mt, a year-on-year increase of 327%.
Fuente: https://www.freshplaza.com/europe/article/9547820/uk-potato-prices-remain-elevated-amid-early-crop-delays/
