Some buyers in Europe have delayed the lifting of new season contracts by two weeks to give potato crops time to bulk.

In Belgium, yields of early processing potato varieties range from 24.7t/hectare in unirrigated plots to 39.52t/hectare in irrigated plots, but later plantings will now benefit substantially from the rain, according to the latest IFA report.

In the UK, nationwide rain over the previous week has limited the potato lifting while prices have remained stable. While growth rates have slowed over the previous week to ten days while it has been cloudy and especially where it is quite wet, crops appear to be doing very well. Slug damage is becoming increasingly prevalent. In Scotland, there have been frequent rains and a few chilly overnight lows.

In Ireland, potato consumption and retail trade are quite good for this time of the year, boosted by poor weather conditions.

“Following an unseasonably wet July and erratic spring conditions which delayed plantings significantly, crops are well behind schedule. Growers are reporting that bulking is very slow between test digs. The demand for new season Queens remains buoyant as stocks are slow to become fit. Yields are reported to be very variable,” the IFA analysts summed up.