FREE OPEN DAY

By Austen Dack

Potato prices have been rising recently and leaving many chip shops facing even more unbudgeted rising costs. However, this seasons prices and indeed state of the crop were predicted by a leading merchant and producer Isle of Ely Produce in September 2022 at their annual FREE chip shop owners open day.

Isle of Ely Produce Director Oliver Boutwood said: “Last year we had a perfect storm during the growing season. First off, we had a near drought causing the potatoes to stop growing and therefore producing smaller potatoes not usually conducive for chipping potatoes, and also a smaller yield. Then we had a few weeks of heavy rain, which didn’t help. Similar conditions across Europe led to Europe wide potato shortages meant that other markets such as crisping would be stretched too, leading to an even bigger shortage.”

Oliver actually predicted at the chip shop owners open day that bags could reach £20 in the spring of 23, and to budget for these increases across the season. It is also worth noting that potatoes up to year end of 2022 were actually selling for less than the cost to plant, grow, harvest and transport, leading to some farmers changing crop.

Isle of Ely Produce are once again opening their doors to chip shop owners and managers on Sunday September 10th, 2023! It is one of the FREE industry events of the year. The event starts at 9.30 am at their farm in Ely, Cambridgeshire with a coffee