Earlies' price depressed (From Western Telegraph)

Earlies' price depressed

An over-abundance of main crop potatoes in storage is depressing the price of Pembrokeshire-produced earlies.

Although stocks of the 2002 main crop are down 2% on last year, tonnage is 18% higher than it was two years ago.

Farmers supplying the Haverfordwest-based growers' co-operative, Puffin Produce, began lifting on May 6th, but have yet to achieve the buoyant prices once associated with the first of the new season crop.

Robin Elliott, of Porthllysky Farm, St Davids, was one of the first Pembrokeshire growers to start harvesting.

He grows 35 acres of earlies. Although the price changes daily, he has been averaging £300/£350 a tonne.

He concedes that the market for Pembrokeshire-produced new potatoes is shrinking because of competition from overseas.

He urged shoppers to support their local growers. Above average levels of spring sunshine had boosted the quality of the Pembrokeshire crop, he said.

"There are a lot of potatoes coming in from Jersey, which is putting pressure on home supplies,'' said Mr Elliott. "But we have got an excellent crop here in Pembrokeshire, in terms of both flavour and quality. I would urge consumers to show their support for the local farming industry by buying potatoes produced in Pembrokeshire.''

New potatoes are a valuable source of income for Pembrokeshire and are worth £3 million to the Welsh economy.

Walter Simon, a grower representative on the British Potato Council, admitted there was a significant quantity of old potatoes on the market which was influencing prices.

"Although the new potato is an entirely different product, the price of the old crop sets a benchmark in the market place,'' said Mr Simon, of West Orielton Farm, Hundleton.

"A lot of last year's crop will end up in silage clamps as livestock feed but at this point in time that doesn't help us as early growers.''