Why Potato Shortage?

Why Potato Shortage
Why Potato Shortage Don’t be surprised if the price of your next order of french fries is a little higher. Unseasonably warm weather across the country has contributed to a decline in potato production, and local consumers may soon be feeling the effects of it. Monroe produce wholesaler Robertson Produce announced in a Facebook post on Sunday they are anticipating their most challenging potato supply week that they have seen thus far. “The few remaining Idaho supplies will finish out their final storages at the end of the week, or early next week,” the post reads. “There will be a true gap in supply around the middle of next week for a least one to two weeks. While there will be a few growers that start into their new crop Norkotahs toward the end of next week, we are not anticipating volume will be strong enough to slow down the climbing prices.” Potatoes are grown commercially in as many as 30 states, however, Idaho remains the largest producer followed by Washington. The current weather-related shortage comes in addition to a recent downward trend in potato production. According to the USDA, the country’s production fell on a year-to-year basis in 2020 and 2021. In 2021, potato production in the United States was 7% lower than the average production in the preceding five years. Robertson Produce President Dan Robertson said Idaho farmers failed to yield a large crop in 2021, mainly due to a scarcity of water. “It’s just so dry out west,” Robertson said. “A lot of water shortages and then here we are, at the end of the crop, right before what’s called ‘new crops’ start and they’ve run out of potatoes. We’ve never seen it like this. It’s been like this for about two, three weeks.” Robertson Produce is a major distributor of Russet potatoes, distributing to restaurants, schools, nursing homes, hospitals and groceries stories in Northeast Louisiana. The lack of supply has led to an average increase in Russet and baker’s potato prices of 35% from their normal levels, according to Hospital Innovations, Potato prices have become secondary to supply as the supply gaps have made it harder to get potatoes. With harvesting expected to start on Thursday, followed by a four- to five-day delivery, Robertson said the shortage is expected to continue for another two weeks. Follow Ian Robinson on Twitter @_irobinson and on Facebook at https://bit.ly/3vln0w1, Support local journalism by subscribing at https://cm.thenewsstar.com/specialoffer.

Why is there a shortage of potatoes?

The recent shortage due to weather is also in addition to a downward trend in potato production altogether. According to the USDA, in 2021, production across the country was 7% lower than the average production in the preceding five years.

Why has the price of potatoes gone up?

Potato Prices Jumped 6% in July – In April 2020, the average price of white potatoes was 85 cents per pound, and by July 2022 it reached nearly 93 cents. Wholesale potato prices for 50 pounds of Idaho potatoes on August 18, 2022, ranged between $1-4 according to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).

Factors contributing to the increase in potato prices include lower supply, high fuel, and increasing labor costs. The farm share of the retail price of potatoes has fluctuated between 15% and 18%in recent years. Adding further fuel to high potato prices include heatwaves that hit Idaho last year which led to potato yields dropping.

Idaho produces a third of all potatoes grown in the country. Potato prices have gone up mainly due to supply shortages. This year tighter supplies of potatoes can see some reprieve as the harvest of new crops of potatoes in Idaho began last week and will continue ramping up.

  • Despite inflation trickling down from the peak of 9.1% in June to 8.5% in July, food prices remain high across the board.
  • The food index in July increased 10.9% over the last year, the largest 12-month increase since the period ending May 1979.
  • The food away from home index rose 0.7% in July after rising 0.9% in June.

The index for limited-service meals increased 0.8% and the index for full-service meals increased 0.6 % over the month.

Why is there french fries shortage?

Published May 28, 2022 11:14am The country’s supply of locally produced potatoes is sufficient and only the chipping potatoes or the variety used by fast-food chains to make French fries are affected by a global shortage, a top official of the Department of Agriculture (DA) said Saturday.

  1. As far as the Department of Agriculture is concerned, our local potatoes, which unfortunately are not the variety na ginagamit for French fries, ay tayo naman ay very very much sufficient.
  2. Actually, surplus pa nga tayo,” Agriculture Undersecretary Kristine Evangelista said in an interview on Dobol B TV.
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Evangelista explained that the locally produced potato variety or “table potato,” commonly sold in public markets and groceries, have a different texture and consistency compared to the chipping potato variety. She added that fast-food chains also have to comply with their global franchisors in terms of the variety of potatoes to be used to make French fries.

  1. That is something beyond our control,” Evangelista said.
  2. The DA, early this week, confirmed there was a global shortage of the potato variety that is used for French fries, prompting several fast-food chains to limit the portions of the snack, with some restaurants temporarily halting the sale of large servings.

The DA official said there is still a problem in the supply of potatoes used for French fries due to logistics challenges and lower yield production of the chipping variety. To help local potato farmers, Evangelista said the DA is in talks with local restaurants to encourage them to get their supply of potatoes for side dishes locally.

Does Ukraine supply potatoes?

Although potatoes have been grown in Ukraine since the 18th century, the crop adapted slowly to the Ukrainian climate and was initially used mainly to produce starch and alcohol. It was only during the 20th century that the crop came to be widely cultivated for food, to the point that it now revered as the country’s “second bread”, and potato-filled perogie dumplings are a favourite national dish.

  1. Ukraine is the world’s No.5 producer of potatoes, after China, the Russian Federation, India and the United States, and consumes per capita a very high 136 kg a year.
  2. Around half of the country’s 1.5 million hectares of potato farms are located on the black soils of the forest-steppe zone in central Ukraine, although the best yields are obtained in the Polesye wetlands of the north.

Production in 2004 reached a record 20.7 million tonnes, with average yields of around 13 tonnes per hectare. Despite its great production volumes, however, Ukraine is not a potato exporter: a large part of the crop is lost each year to pests – mainly the Colorado potato beetle – and inadequate storage.

Potato Production in 2017 : 22208200.00 tonnes Official data
Potato Area Harvested in 2017 : 1323200.00 ha Official data
Potato Yield in 2017 : 167837.00 hg/ha Calculated data
Potato Production in 2016 : 21750300.00 tonnes Official data
Potato Area Harvested in 2016 : 1311600.00 ha Official data
Potato Yield in 2016 : 165830.00 hg/ha Calculated data
Potato Production in 2015 : 20839300.00 tonnes Official data

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Potatoes (Fresh and Processed), Consumption (Crop Equivalent) in 2011 : 139.76 kg/capita/year ℹ Potatoes (Fresh and Processed) Sweet Potatoes, Consumption (Crop Equivalent) in 2011 : 0.00 kg/capita/year ℹ Sweet Potatoes Potatoes (Fresh and Processed), Consumption (Crop Equivalent) in 2010 : 129.23 kg/capita/year ℹ Potatoes (Fresh and Processed) Sweet Potatoes, Consumption (Crop Equivalent) in 2010 : 0.00 kg/capita/year ℹ Sweet Potatoes Potatoes (Fresh and Processed), Consumption (Crop Equivalent) in 2009 : 133.35 kg/capita/year ℹ Potatoes (Fresh and Processed) Sweet Potatoes, Consumption (Crop Equivalent) in 2009 : 0.00 kg/capita/year ℹ Sweet Potatoes Potatoes (Fresh and Processed), Consumption (Crop Equivalent) in 2008 : 132.36 kg/capita/year ℹ Potatoes (Fresh and Processed)

Why are there no potato chips in stores?

Supply chain disruptions during the pandemic resulted in a shortage of many commodities. The latest one to join the ranks is the beloved potato. Potato shortage has severely impacted fast-food restaurants in Japan, Malaysia, Indonesia, Kenya and the United States and cut deep into their stocks to make fries and chips.

Why are there no hash browns in stores?

In a quiet but systematic way some of the nation’s largest grocery store chains are pulling hash browns from the shelves of their freezer cases because they might be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. One state inspection apparently turned up the Listeria problem in hash browns.

  1. Almost three weeks ago, recalls went our from stores carrying such well-known hash brown brands as Mr.
  2. Dell’s, O’Brien’s, ShopRite, Food Club and Giant.
  3. On Jan.4th, ShopRite posted notice on its Web site that its Southern Style Hash Browns were being removed from its stores because routine testing by a regulatory agency discovered possible Listeria contamination.
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ShopRite stores are located in New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Maryland. Next, Food City stores in Kentucky, Virginia, and Tennessee recalled its 30-ounce Shredded Hash Browns. That was followed by Giant Eagle stories in Maryland, Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia, which pulled multiple varieties of hash browns for “possible bacterial contamination.” The store recalls continued last week with Brookshire’s Food and Pharmacy in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas pulling 30-ounce Shredded Hash Browns and 28-ounce O’Brien Potatoes.

  1. Ing Sooper’s, the Kroger chain’s western arm, cited Listeria contamination as the reason for recalling 64-ounce Mr.
  2. Dell’s Shredded Hash Browns.
  3. Finally, this week when the Pittsburgh-based Giant Eagle updated its list of recalled hash browns said an “independent and unrelated manufacturer” of its frozen hash browns has discovered “the presence of a bacterium” in products made at one of its facilities.

Others say the state regulator of that facility found Listeria in a sample taken during routine testing. No one has said where that facility is located or who owns it. Food safety expert Phyllis Entis, who blogs at www.eFoodAlert.com, reports there has been nothing from any state or federal agency about what amounts to a nationwide recall of certain hash browns.

How long will the potato shortage last?

‘There will be a true gap in supply around the middle of next week for a least one to two weeks. While there will be a few growers that start into their new crop Norkotahs toward the end of next week, we are not anticipating volume will be strong enough to slow down the climbing prices.’

How much are potatoes now?

How Much Do Potatoes Cost? – On average, you can expect to pay between $1 to $2 a pound for potatoes. Bulk amounts of potatoes can average between $2 and $3 for a five-pound bag. The cost depends on many factors, including the type of potatoes, when and where you buy them, and the amount you buy at one time.

Why can’t I find Idaho potatoes?

‘ The shortage of potatoes is a result of last year’s lackluster harvest. Despite potato acreage in Idaho jumping to 315,000 acres in 2021, from 300,000 in 2020, unusually hot weather at the wrong time of year dropped yields and crop quality.’

Why does KFC have no potatoes?

Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC), an American fast-food restaurant chain, announced that it had run out of potato fries even as local farmers struggled with an oversupply of the produce.

Why did US farmers destroy their potatoes?

Potato Problems – The root of the potato perils began where the majority of our supply chain struggles did- the pandemic. The United States Department of Agriculture found that in 2020, domestic farmers were forced to destroy millions of excess potatoes after lockdown drastically reduced food service demand.

The world’s top potato producers are China, Russia, India, Ukraine and the United States. Although this report was published prior to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the USDA attributed the rise in prices to the following: Factors include a smaller U.S. crop, strong North American processing demand, and post pandemic surging international demand boosting both U.S.

export demand and prices for imported potato products. As a result, the 2021/22 MY U.S. season-average potato price is expected to reach a nominal dollar record high—exceeding $10.00 per hundredweight (cwt) for the first time—as potato supplies tighten and processors siphon volume from the fresh market.

How much potatoes does Russia produce?

Russian Federation

Potato Production in 2017 : 29590000.00 tonnes
Potato Production in 2016 : 31107800.00 tonnes
Potato Area Harvested in 2016 : 2030860.00 ha
Potato Yield in 2016 : 153176.00 hg/ha
Potato Production in 2015 : 33645800.00 tonnes

What is potato in Russia?

‘potato’ in Russian volume_up. potato RU. volume_up. картошка

What type of potatoes are grown in Ukraine?

Why Potato Shortage More than 100 potato varieties were selected at the Institute of Potato Farming of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine. The most promising varieties are those adapted to different cultivation conditions, resistant to biotic and abiotic factors, writes “Agro-Center”, Why Potato Shortage The issue of maintaining the sowing and varietal properties of potatoes in the process of reproduction of the seed material is one of the most urgent ones. The most promising new varieties are Knyahynya, Myroslava, Sluch, Solokha, Khortytsya, and Fotiniya. Why Potato Shortage According to experts, in order for potato industry in Ukraine to develop further and provide 100% market demand, potato farming has to move from private sector to large specialized farms.

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How long will the potato shortage last?

‘There will be a true gap in supply around the middle of next week for a least one to two weeks. While there will be a few growers that start into their new crop Norkotahs toward the end of next week, we are not anticipating volume will be strong enough to slow down the climbing prices.’

Is a food shortage coming 2022?

It looks like food shortages have continued into 2022. This is what might be causing the issue. – After some signs of a slow and cautious return to pre-pandemic normalcy last year, 2022 is looking remarkably like fall 2020—and that means supply issues at grocery stores.

This time the food shortages are scattered throughout the store, so shoppers hoping to get their hands on specific products may find it’s not that easy right now. “It’s spotty, it’s not a widespread situation,” says Katie Denis, vice president of research for the Consumer Brands Association, which represents the consumer packaged goods industry, including companies like General Mills and Kellogg.

“It’s not like at the beginning of the pandemic when people went out and cleared shelves to stockpile and panicked.” Still, there are specific aisles feeling the strain right now. Here are some products to look for during your next grocery run.

Why are frozen potatoes so hard to find?

FREEZERS FULL OF FRIES – Kraft Heinz Co’s Ore-Ida, the main producer of frozen fries for supermarkets, is rushing to bolster supplies. “Our Ore-Ida factory is running at full capacity to keep up with demand,” Kraft spokesman Michael Mullen said. At the same time, major fast-food french fry suppliers McCain Foods, J.R.

  1. Simplot Co and Lamb Weston Holdings Inc are canceling potato orders.
  2. Fast-food suppliers’ freezers are full of frozen fries, hash browns and potato skins and their storage sheds are packed with potatoes, farmers and experts told Reuters.
  3. Their demand is down because four in 10 U.S.
  4. Restaurants are closed, as are schools, hotels and workplaces.

Fast-food chains are doing drive-through only, and with no set date for lifting stay-at-home orders, the outlook for the foodservice industry is dim. Lamb Weston, McCain and Simplot – which supply the lion’s share of McDonald’s french fries – did not respond to requests for comment.

  • Lamb Weston also does retail sales.
  • Pink, who farms near Pasco, Washington, said fast-food french fry suppliers canceled orders for 1,000 acres of potatoes.
  • He has already invested $2.5 million on those crops.
  • Each acre produces roughly 30 tons of potatoes and getting them ready for sale would cost Pink another $1.5 million.

He may have to plow the potatoes under – adding to food destruction in the U.S. produce and dairy sectors. “Do I continue to invest or do I stop and try to minimize my loss?” asked Pink. “It’s just devastating.” The National Potato Council said there are $750 million to $1.3 billion in potatoes and potato products clogged in the pipeline.

  1. It’s a huge challenge.
  2. Nobody was prepared.
  3. Nobody could imagine that this could happen,” Rabobank food analyst JP Frossard said.
  4. Grocery consultants and retailers told Reuters that foodservice products like toilet paper, cleaning supplies and meat have found their way into the retail channel, while many others have not.

Compounding problems, most foodservice operators do not have connections at supermarkets – where adding a new product can take several months. “It would be a Herculean task,” Allen said of rerouting supplies. And with all the uncertainty around demand, he added, “the investment would be tough to justify.” Reporting by Lisa Baertlein in Los Angeles, Chris Walljasper in Chicago and Hilary Russ in New York; Editing by Lisa Shumaker for-phone-only for-tablet-portrait-up for-tablet-landscape-up for-desktop-up for-wide-desktop-up