EEUU: Local expert discusses reported potato shortage
Have you seen the headline claiming there is a french fry shortage across the nation? They said it’s due to cold weather that shortened the harvest season.
However, we wanted to know if that’s true and how it will impact prices.
"Something you grow out in nature, Mother Nature has a lot to do with it," said Karen Randall from Randall’s Farm and Greenhouse.
French fries are one of America’s favorite foods, but after bad weather in Idaho and Montana, this year’s demand could be higher than the supply.
"They did have an early freeze they thought would melt off and finish their harvest, but about 10 to 20 percent of their harvest was impacted," Randall explained.
Randall said there’s no reason to panic - yet.
Winter is coming — for our French fries.
"We have not seen the fresh market price impacted by this early freeze. It will happen later when potatoes are coming out of storage for some of the processors and things," Randall noted.
Randall told that although the Idaho potatoes are suffering this season, the local crop is thriving.
"So if you think you won’t be able to get french fries, you can always make your own because there will be plenty. Local potatoes are really nice this year," Randall said.
Randall also said keep in mind that it’s not just russets impacted by the weather, but also sweet potatoes.
"Sweet potatoes were impacted by some of the storms we had on the east coast. A lot come from the Carolinas. The rains came when sweet potatoes were in production, so that crop was impacted, so we are paying more for sweet potatoes than we have in many years," Randall explained.
So if you like your fries in sweet or traditional form, Randall said there will still be plenty to go around.
"There will be french fries. You will be able to buy and sell french fries. There may be a little less of a crop in Idaho or Montana, regions that grow a lot of russet potatoes that go into processing for french fries," Randall said.
Fuente: www.westernmassnews.com
