No potato shortage in Sth Canty
Despite fears about wet weather impacting on potato crops, South Canterbury chip companies say they are having a good season and are well-prepared to deal with whatever hits them.
Heartland Potato Chips and Makikihi Fries both said yesterday they were doing well this season, in the wake of worries about a potato shortage in the run-up to Christmas.
Foodstuffs said on Sunday it was ‘‘having challenges meeting demand’’ for potato chips, after recent wet weather dealt a blow to crops, while Potatoes NZ has also said there is a shortage of crisping potatoes in the North Island.
However it admitted yesterday an error had been made, and that the supplier to the Pak ‘n Save and New World supermarkets had not been affected as originally thought.
Heartland manager Charlotte Bowan said the company, along with other South Island potato growers, always prepared for cold weather.
‘‘I definitely feel for the other growers that have more issues,’’ she said.
Bowan said Heartland already sold its products in shops around the country, so to an extent any shortage in the North Island could be good for the company as there would be less competition. However it would be unlucky for North Island farmers.
‘‘The weather is really unpredictable. They’ve got to adapt to [it] and how it changes.’’
Her father, company owner Raymond Bowan, said the North Island usually had warmer weather, so producers left their potatoes in the ground for longer, rather than storing them.
Potatoes New Zealand chief executive Chris Claridge said between 50 and 60 per cent of all potatoes in New Zealand were grown in Canterbury, the majority in the South Canterbury region.
Both Canterbury and the top of the North Island were having a typical season. ’’Processors are reporting that they have reasonable supply.’’
However there might be issues with the supply of new potatoes at Christmas time.
While some were produced around Oamaru and near Invercargill, they usually came from the North Island, and there had been reports of lower than usual supplies from Pukekohe, a key potato-producing region near Auckland. ’’They will be expensive. Prices will be high,’’ he said.
However Bowan said she did not think there would be any problem with people having table potatoes at Christmas time.
Heartland was also supplied by a family-owned farm, Fallgate Farms.
Currently it had more than 7000 tonnes of potatoes in its largest storage shed.
Makikihi Fries plant manager Greg Hayman did not want to divulge who the company’s potato supplier was, but was ‘‘very happy’’ with how the company was doing.
‘‘We are in a slightly better situation in the South Island,’’ Hayman said. The company sold fries around the South Island, but was only ‘‘marginally’’ selling products in the North Island, Hayman said.
Pye Group co-owner Leighton Pye said his company, contracted to supply McCain with potatoes, was also not affected by any potato shortage. Weather in the South Island had been ‘‘a bit kinder’’, he said.