Potato growers urged to cut acreage by 10%

摘要

Potato growers need to cut acreage to avoid a third successive year of oversupply and price pressure, advises consultant Jay Wootton.Mr Wootton of Andersons suggested a 10% cut across the board, but for some growers the answer would be to pull out of the sector.Ex-farm average prices are the lowest for at least five years. Mid-January saw the free-buy average fall to ￡77.43/t, the lowest since 2009 and the lowest at this point in the season since 2002-03.In addition to price pressure, some growers also have contract issues, as packers come under pressure from retailers. These issues include price reductions and/or reductions in the tonnages paid for at the full contract price. Some packers had been up front about changes to contract terms, others had not, said Mr Wootton.