Drought…
Hungary is running out of domestic potatoes due to a poor harvest last year, affected by drought, a sustained decline in production, and price restrictions. There could be a shortage as early as this month, local media report.
“In a month, shops will run out of potatoes grown in Hungary,” said Eva Kulich, spokeswoman for the Hungarian Potato Growers Association.
Decrease in the area and the producers
The country has been unable to supply itself with potatoes for several years now, due to a decline in both the area and the number of producers.
E. Kulich says that the government’s cap on potato prices, introduced in November, has exacerbated the situation for growers. This is not to mention the sharp rise in energy prices and the sharp depreciation of the exchange rate.
At the end of October, the Hungarian government introduced a price ceiling of HUF 411.5/kg (EUR 1.03/kg) for table potatoes. Some shops already limit the number of fixed-price products that can be bought (fixed prices are not only for potatoes).
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