In UK, signs of recovery for Irish potato market

In the UK it is quiet and typical for the time of year. Buyers are looking for quality samples on repeat orders. The weakening of the British pound makes British supplies more accessible for export. Chip potato contracts are ahead of schedule and although conversion rates are very good with almost no rejections, stocks are getting very tight. Across Europe, processing markets remain strong with good export demand. Off-farm transport is mainly on a contract basis, with only a limited supply of off-the-shelf purchases from growers, although there are some stocks that need to be moved before the product runs out of control. The fresh produce market is showing signs of recovery after the holiday season and there have been some price increases, with red varieties becoming harder to come by and some buyers from the Netherlands showing interest for the first time this season. Typical for this time of year is the demand for packaging material. This ...