The humble yet versatile potato may all of a “spud-den” be making a more frequent appearance at mealtime with a good harvest seeing potato prices fall 16.2% in March compared to the same month last year, according to the latest Stats NZ Food Price Index data.
Unearthed Produce is one of the leading suppliers of potatoes for Foodstuffs, and general manager Ben Buchanan is excited to see North Island supply rebound following the significant impact last year’s Auckland anniversary floods and Cyclone Gabrielle had on potato volumes.
“Last year’s growing season was one of the toughest, and this impacted the availability and supply of potatoes through most of 2023.
“It’s therefore been great, for both growers and consumers, that the 2023-24 summer has provided favourable growing conditions,” Buchanan said.
“We’ve seen a good balance of heat, sunlight and rain in our key growing regions, which has produced great quality, delicious potatoes, with volumes back to normal levels.
“This should translate to good value as we move through the year.”
Foodstuffs North Island’s head of produce and butchery, Brigit Corson, said spuds are a staple item in the shopping basket all year round, but good prices across all varieties mean they’re likely to become a popular option over the coming months.
“We’re seeing great potato yields in this year’s harvest, and abundant supply means good prices for our customers,” Corson said.
“We’re a nation of potato lovers. NZ produces more than 600 potatoes each year for every Kiwi, which makes them one of our most popular vegetables.”
Corson said potatoes are not only rich in nutrients such as fibre and Vitamin C, they are also endlessly versatile.
“Recipes like leek and potato soup or just a simple baked jacket potato topped with tinned tuna and frozen sweetcorn are great options to make the most of the abundant potatoes as we head into the colder months.”
