Lifting has just begun this week of the outdoor crop of Jersey Royal potatoes.
According to the Jersey Produce Marketing Organisation, planting went well and ran ahead of last year. "Generally speaking, planting was a week or so earlier than last season," said JPMO managing director John Neal. "Conditions were dry in February and March so planting could get going unhindered."
Since then however, the weather has been mixed. "We have had some cold weather, just like the UK, but lifting began on April 5 which was only a few days behind last season," added Neal.
The crop is expected to build up gradually in volume throughout the rest of the month with supplies reaching a peak from the end of April.
Quantities are slightly down on last year, however. "We are expecting volumes to reach 35,000 tonnes as some producers have left the industry and others have planted less," said Neal.
The outdoor crop is coming onto a difficult UK potato market with supplies plentiful from other sources and prices relatively depressed, but optimism is high in Jersey. "Our indoor crop has been available since the end of February and we have been very pleased with prices and returns from the marketplace," said Neal.
Early season Jersey Royals are competing with supplies from Egypt, mainland Spain and Majorca and later in the season will face opposition from the early producing areas in the UK: Cornwall, Pembrokeshire and the eastern counties.
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