The Department of Agriculture (DA) has confirmed a global shortage of potatoes used for making french fries.
John Van Lorino, 21, a fast food crew in Cavite, said they had reduced their offering to standard sizes as suppliers delayed deliveries.
“Last few months, no fries stocks are coming to us ma’am, even those pouches for fries, there’s none. There are only regular-sized pouches being delivered to us, that’s why [customers] can’t avail of large to extra large [fries],” he told the PNA in Filipino.
As Bernadette Reyes reported on GMA News “24 Oras,” the lack of supply of imported potatoes is why fast-food chains and even some restaurants have limited the production of such food.
“Mas nararamdaman po ‘yan sa mga fast food chains because ‘yung mga chipping potatoes po ang shortage po globally at ‘yan po ay inaangkat din po natin. Tayo po, ang ating mga magsasaka, ang itinatanim po nila ay ‘yung mga table potatoes,” explained Agriculture undersecretary Kristine Evangelista.
(It would be felt even more in fast food chains because chipping potatoes are in shortage globally, and we also import that. So we, our farmers, are planting table potatoes.)
Meanwhile, the Samahang Industriya ng Agrikultura (SINAG) announced that some farmers have stopped planting vegetables, which has also led to a decrease in the supply of locally-produced potatoes and an increase in their price.
DA confirms global shortage of potatoes for making french fries
“‘Yung presyo ng fertilizer ‘di ba internationally tumaas, and of course, ‘yung fuel price tumaas. So ‘yung inputs talaga mataas, kaya ‘yung cost eh hindi kaya, hindi nila kaya,” said SINAG Chairperson Rosendo So.
(The price of fertilizer went up internationally, and of course, the fuel price went up. So the inputs are high, so the cost can’t, they can’t shoulder it.)
“We hope na ma-encourage na tulungan ang mga magsasaka dito para at least dito na lang magtanim,” he said.
(We hope to be encouraged to help the farmers here for and at least here to just plant.)
The price of local potatoes at the Benguet Trading Post is P43/kilo, increasing P11 from the previous P32/kilo.
The DA said its price is higher in Metro Manila, reaching P70/kilo.
Visit our Facebook page for more news updates.