Spud Prices

[KennyO]

By F**k they are depressing.

Was told today £70/t For good packing material for long term storage (which mine isn't)
£25/t for value pack but they aren't buying any

£15-40/t for processing ex scotland. (we've got a £35/t haul from up here)

On top of that I've got rots developing

Thankfully most of our seed crop is contracted and is about 80% of our output. Freebuy seed isn't going to be worth much either.

 

[david]

Here in N Ireland the chip shops are paying £300 per ton for Lincolnshire Maris Piper.

Someone is making a killing....

 

[T C]

Heard it was bad but not that bad !! Would be pretty devastating 25 years ago and look where costs were then.
The loss of the processing sector in Scotland / North of England hits the lower quality.
When coupled with the steady decline in fresh produce purchase would suggest a lot less ware in Scotland.
Problem we found with seed was you need the top sales to make a profit (ie the seed is a break even assuming nothing goes wrong)

 

[Campbell]

Sales of the 'Raw' spud are dismal now days, few can be arsed to prep them for meals. Processing is the way forward it seems.

 

[david]

Campbell - you are spot on there. People are too lazy to buy a bag of potatoes, wash them, peel them and cook them.

Look at the sales growth of ready made mash, chips, wedges etc. Problem is that a lot of this is coming from continental Europe rather than home grown potatoes.

I don't see the trend of falling fresh potato sales ending any time soon.

May be when Mancozeb gets banned in 2018, this will lead to fewer acres as only the expensive blight fungicides will remain. And what about the future of nematicides - no looking too good either !

 

[roscoe erf]

Sales of the 'Raw' spud are dismal now days, few can be arsed to prep them for meals. Processing is the way forward it seems.

sad reflection on todays society

 

[SilliamWhale]

I don't think its just about can't be arsed. Lots of things count against it - its bulk, it needs to be stored right etc. so these sort of things start to going against it in a lot of people's lifestyles.

The other thing is that spoils the price is we can store them for so long, if you have a coldstore you'll want to keep them as long as possible.

I love them though

 

[BigOllie]

If you think about it, everyone has atleast 1 ton an acre better yield this year? So with the 100s of thousands acres grown across Europe there is thousands more tons in the market...? Surly that has a huge affect? I know people who are buying from russia at £50 a ton, Like everything else if you can find it cheaper then you will buy cheaper

 

[Sonoftheheir]

Quoted £95-£115 for piper bagged and £100-£110 for Agria this morning depending on sample.
Had two of our regular buyers phone up this week wanting to know when we're starting.
Don't want to sell any under £120 really, am holding till then.

Odd rot in store, no different to normal but looking at them every day. Got the temps down to 8.5c wed morning, but back up to 10-11 today. Very tricky with ambient ATM.

 

[Cowcalf]

think the trade has been ruined by poor eating variety of tattie, had some British Queen recently a really nice tattie and cooks well in most methods.
big yields cannot be planned for, and you cannot sell anymore not like rasps and strawberries by reducing price.
Look at prices in supermarket they do not move down very far

 

[Sonoftheheir]

think the trade has been ruined by poor eating variety of tattie, had some British Queen recently a really nice tattie and cooks well in most methods.
big yields cannot be planned for, and you cannot sell anymore not like rasps and strawberries by reducing price.
Look at prices in supermarket they do not move down very far

Certainly by the run of the mill varieties grown on sandy land for supermarkets. They look nice, but have no taste! People have our spuds and say they've never tasted spuds like them. People don't know how to store them either. Greening is their biggest moan. What do you expect when the spuds are washed and sold in clear plastic bags? They get them home leave them in a warm house they grow and get green before they've been used. Puts people off!

 

[Chae1]

By F**k they are depressing.

Was told today £70/t For good packing material for long term storage (which mine isn't)
£25/t for value pack but they aren't buying any

£15-40/t for processing ex scotland. (we've got a £35/t haul from up here)

On top of that I've got rots developing

Thankfully most of our seed crop is contracted and is about 80% of our output. Freebuy seed isn't going to be worth much either.

have you got any for cattle feed?

 

[KennyO]

That's the problem Tommy. Hard to make enough selling 35x50mm. Always at least one problem crop. Need the tops at 100 quid.
You won't regret the decision to quit anyway

 

[KennyO]

Not started grading yet. Maybe next week. Will feed to our own stock first.

 

[KennyO]

You sell everything in bags? Very little bag trade up here.

 

[Sonoftheheir]

You sell everything in bags? Very little bag trade up here.

All ours are in Bags for chip shop trade and some go to farm shops.

 

[glasshouse]

If you think about it, everyone has atleast 1 ton an acre better yield this year? So with the 100s of thousands acres grown across Europe there is thousands more tons in the market...? Surly that has a huge affect? I know people who are buying from russia at £50 a ton, Like everything else if you can find it cheaper then you will buy cheaper

Why are we buying russian spuds when they have banned our exports?

 

[BigOllie]

Why are we buying russian spuds when they have banned our exports?

I don't have a clue it's just what I heard

 

[DrWazzock]

Here in N Ireland the chip shops are paying £300 per ton for Lincolnshire Maris Piper.

Someone is making a killing....

Yes you would be surprised what end users in the catering businesses are paying. Some pubs I've visited are still paying £16 a bag from merchants for washed whites so that's £640 per tonne. Ridiculous. They just aren't aware of their costs or how to shop around, but maybe that's partly our fault for not being bold enough with direct sales or not wanting the clat. It really does surprise me that a storable commodity like potatoes is not sold directly to a greater extent.

As for people wanting convenience, what's easier than running a brush over a spud and baking it. Easier than opening a bag of oven ready chips I think.

I sell in 20 kg bags and won't sell for less than £5 per bag. It's just not worth my time. They will be fed to the cattle if they don't sell.

To be honest, my potatoes are nothing special this year being on dry sand without irrigation but they still sell.

I am also getting some rot in the store, even though lifted in perfect conditions and rigorously sprayed for blight. Think it's just too warm.

 

[franklin]

As for people wanting convenience, what's easier than running a brush over a spud and baking it. Easier than opening a bag of oven ready chips I think.

I sell in 20 kg bags and won't sell for less than £5 per bag. It's just not worth my time. They will be fed to the cattle if they don't sell.

What variety have you for sale?

I'd be happier paying £5 for a ten kilo bag - 20kg for me takes too long to get through as the family dont eat as many, and so half the bag would be off by the time I got halfway down.