This August, potato prices in Italy soared by 26% year-on-year. This has made it the horticultural product with the highest increase in consumer prices, according to farmers association Coldiretti. Moreover, potatoes ranked third, after sugar and olive oil, as products witnessing the steepest price increases, data showed.
A decline in the production of Italian potatoes and 27% increase in imports of foreign potatoes – exceeding half a billion kilograms in the first half of the year – weighed on prices, Coldiretti noted. Higher energy costs and lack of compensation in prices for Italian farmers contributed to the decline in production.
Coldiretti added that 'while agricultural production quotations are on average 0.54 euro per kilo according to Ismea, retail prices for consumers are rising to between €1.10 and €2.30 per kilo.'
Source: esmmagazine.com