British potato production has hit its lowest level in five years in a further blow to a sector that is already battling with declining consumption.
New AHDB figures indicate that the total potato harvest is 13 per cent down on the five-year average of 5.6 million tonnes, at 4.9mt.
The relatively low production figure is attributed to an estimated 4.4 per cent drop in planted area, and a 12 per cent drop in average yield.
The crop was heavily impacted by a combination of late planting and the prolonged hot and dry weather, which stalled tuber growth in June and July.
The one area of the country to have avoided the effects of the summer heatwave was Scotland, with potatoes grown north of the border seeing a three per cent increase in yield against last year, up to 49.2t/ha. Despite that, the total production of potatoes in Scotland was still down, due to a decrease of 1,600ha in planted area.
Average yields in England were 40.1t/ha, a 20 per cent decrease from the 49.9t/ha seen last season.
Sector strategy director at AHDB Potatoes, Rob Clayton, said the average yield decrease is the result of large variations from field to field. “Growers were battling a shortage of water this year. As you can see on the AHDB weather hub, the combined June and July period was one of the driest on record,' he explained. 'Fields that were irrigated will have enjoyed a reasonable crop, while in others yields were very low.”
Only 53 per cent of the land in Great Britain planted with potatoes this year had access to irrigation, according to an AHDB estimate.
Clayton moved to calm fears the country could run out of potatoes, but warned shoppers to brace themselves for variable sizing. “We didn’t [run out] in 2012, and we won’t in 2018. But what consumers will notice is a wider range of shapes and sizes in the bag they bring home to cook with. These shapes and sizes are a normal part of any harvest, they’ll still taste great and will still contribute to the nation’s vitamin C and fibre intake.
“With fewer potatoes around this year supermarkets won’t be able to only choose from the ‘middle’ section of sizes – hence more variety in the bag.”
