BALLARAT region growers fear a long year of inclement weather will now convert into potato supply problems for supermarkets.
Create a free account to read this article
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Above average rainfall in 2022 has been followed by one of the coldest starts to Summer ever recorded in the region, with maximum temperatures as much as 10 degrees below average in December so far.
This week Coles has brought in limits on the sale of frozen potato chips because of a nationwide supply shortage.
Customers will be temporarily limited to two items.
"This will help to maintain availability for all customers," the supermarket reported.
"Thank you for your patience, we apologise for any inconvenience caused."
RELATED READING
Potato farmer Rod Guthrie, Clarkes Hill, said wet summers had taken a massive toll.
"It all started back in January when we got the floods, it wiped a lot of potato crops out and the tonnage was heavily down for this year," he said.
"It's been an extremely hard year, the tonnages were down and it's been a cold and wet winter too, which doesn't help."
Mr Guthrie said potato farmer had yielded about half their usual crops.
He warned the shortages could impact cafes and restaurants as well as supermarkets.
"The supply is not there, it's not going to be on the shelves and at restaurants and I'd say by January there will be no supply around, hardly," he said.
"The crops are down and we're back to about half of the usual tonnage."
- With AAP
Sign up here to Good Fruit and Vegetables weekly newsletter for all the latest horticulture news each Thursday...
