'The potato is very sensitive to this. For two days the fields are underwater and the potatoes are starting to rot, and those last big rains have damaged the fields bur overall yields are finally good after two very bad years. It is to be hoped that it will be possible to harvest everything, because the harvest is now in intensive process and the rain pours in every once in a while and then all must be stopped for a moment,” said Aiga Kraukle, chair of the board of Potato growers and processors association.
The price of potatoes is set by the buyer, but with the rise in mineral fertilizer and other costs, the price has risen this season and will climb this year as well, as harvest will have to be dried more before storage.
Currently, the wholesale price of potatoes is around 27 cents per kilogram.
“For example, I'm sitting at a potato reception point right now, and of course, those potatoes come in damp enough. It varies but many are heavily damp, meaning the farmer will be forced to add something to its price while still in storage. But knowing the overall purchasing power, no one also sets prices so that no one will be able to buy their products.
"Storage costs depend on the price of electricity which has risen. Potatoes need to help dry right now and fans will have to be switched on quite a lot,” Kraukle said.
