By Alana Mitchelson
A NAR Nar Goon-based potato grower has lost about 30 per cent of its main crop and 40 per cent of its summer crop this year due to an unusually rainy spring.
Red Gem is one of Australia’s largest potato producers, growing more than 20,000 tonnes each year.
Red Gem managing director Guido Cerchiano said it had been the “absolute worst” season he had ever experienced.
He said all varieties had been impacted including the ‘brushed’ potatoes.
“I’ve been in this business for 35 years and I’ve never seen anything like this,” Mr Cerchiano said.
“We’ve had very heavy rain this spring and some of the potatoes at our farm in Hillston, New South Wales, have been sitting in mud for six weeks.
“If potatoes stay under water for a certain period of time, it can affect the quality of the potatoes because they can break down.”
He said there were about 50 family potato growers across Gippsland on 10-acre to 300-acre farms.
Red Gem usually begins planting the summer crop at Hillston in June but was pushed back a month this year due to the weather conditions.
They were unable to operate tractors and other heavy machinery in the mud.
“I don’t think there’s any reason for an increase in potato prices around Christmas time,” Mr Cerchiano said.
“But there certainly won’t be an oversupply of product, so it will be up to the major supermarkets to make that call.”
Mr Cerchiano said more potatoes would return to the market in January and the supply would be back to normal again in the New Year.
Coles and Woolworths spokesmen reassured customers that any impacts to potato prices would be minimised.
