Australian table potatoes in short supply

In Australia the humble spud is in short supply, with the Tableland now the only place in Australia currently in season to harvest a potato crop.

But rain and years of poor prices have resulted in production dropping by up to 20,000 tonnes as farmers leave the land.

Normally, 45,000-50,000 tonnes of potatoes are produced in the Atherton and Ravenshoe areas but there was a third fewer plantings this season because of past prices.

Rain and overcast weather also has reduced the crop, leaving fewer than 30,000 tonnes to be dug.

Upper Barron grower and Growcom potato chairman David Nix said the market was paying AUS$750 a tonne, up from four years ago when growers were making an average of AUS$350 a tonne, and prices were expected to rise.

But he said in the past few years many farmers, himself included, had lost a lot of money planting potatoes and had decided not to plant this year.

"Over the last four years, they (growers) have got below the cost of production and so they have stopped planting,"he said.

It’s a similar situation nationally.

With the exception of 2007-2008, potato production has been in a steady decline in the past five years with a 15.8 per cent drop.