The stock price of English white potatoes reached an all-time high in the UK. The achievement is since April 16, when they were trading at £570 a tonne. Expectations are that their price will continue to rise due to the drop in supply in the coming months until the release of the new harvest, mintecglobal.com points out.
Another Maris Piper potato variety also recorded a strong exchange price – £610 per tonne. The figure shows that the growth is 144% on an annual basis, according to market analysts.
However, trade in this variety remains minimal in the UK due to limited availability.
Market players are speculating that the price of white potatoes could surpass the price of Maris Piper ahead of the 2024 harvest as producers hold on to stocks in anticipation of further price spikes.
Against this background, the UK continues to import potatoes, with the EU, Israel and Egypt as the main sources. The figures show that white potato imports are priced between £520 per tonne and £600 per tonne, with the difference due to differences in quality.
Planting is underway in many regions of England. However, Scotland has not yet started planting activities. Further delays are likely to affect the 2024 harvest schedule, analysts said.
