Half of Victoria’s potato crops have taken a battering (no, not that kind of battering) and farmers reckon our hot chippy supplies might be in jeopardy. From the outset – this is possibly the worst news ever in the history of bad news (aside from all the other legitimately bad news).
Farmers in the potato growing region just north of Ballarat in rural Vic claim that a storm may have washed away nearly 50% of their crops for the season which fkn sucks for everyone involved.
Katherine Myers is the Victorian Farmers Federation horticulture vice-president and told news.com.au that farmers in the region may have lost approximately $25 million worth of potato product. This is an extremely sad outcome especially in a time when weather conditions have been regularly acting up. Looking at you, La Niña.
“If anything happens like this in another potato growing region as well, it has the potential to be very serious,” she told the outlet.
The affected growers supply supermarkets, KFC, McDonald’s as well as a handful of fish ‘n’ chip shops around Victoria. So you know – just all the places we buy our beautiful saltybois…
Rodney Guthrie has been a potato farmer in the affected area of Clarkes Hill for 45 years and estimated his individual loss to be around $740,000. While talking to the Herald Sun he added that he had “never, ever” experienced this type of “total devastation”.
A spokesperson from AUSVEG – the industry representative body for vegetable and potato growers told the Herald Sun that up to 90 to 95 percent of crops in the region have reportedly been impacted by the recent storms. It’s feared the storm’s impact could last weeks to months beyond the incident as the plants recover.
Similarly, McCain foods which is the biggest processor in the area said the extent of damage would only become apparent in the next few weeks and months.
At present, it deemed the situation to not be of “immediate supply risk”. PHEW.
