Potato Prices Soar in Australia Due to Extreme Weather

Bad weather has caused the potato shortage currently affecting Australia, which is reflected in increased costs for washed potatoes.

As loose potato prices at some Victorian retailers have climbed by up to 20 per cent and could rise further, the prices reportedly go as high as USD12 for 3kg bags of clearskin potatoes, according to Herald Sun News. A summer heat wave as well as extreme wind disrupted harvests and planting in South Australia, where 80 per cent of the country’s freshed washed potatoes are produced.

The supply could return to normal in May or even June, abd the average loose washed potato prices could rise up to 30 per cent (meaning USD4.50) per kilogram, according to Luke Raggart, spokesman for the national industry body AUSVEG, quoted by Australian press. Dirt potatoes however, grown in several states, have reportedly remained cheap, at USD2 per kilogram.

“Prices paid at the farmgate have been stagnant for some time,” Luke Raggart said.

Another estimate coming from Coles spokeswoman Anna Kelly says supply was “now starting to return to normal and we are continuing to work closely with our suppliers as we recover from these challenging weather conditions”.

Shelf prices for quality washed white and desiree potatoes had risen about 50c-70c a kilo due to higher wholesale charges, according to Cosimo Patti, part owner of La Manna Fresh in Brunswick, Herald Sun News reports.