Why are potatoes on our supermarket shelves so poor right now? Top agronomist says this could be a long-term problem

Empty supermarket shelves are becoming more common Photo: Getty

Richard Hackett

In times past, this time of year was described as ‘the hungry months’, or ‘the hungry gap’. We often think that the most difficult times of year were in mid- winter, especially in cold harsh winters.

However, cold weather provides free refrigeration; indeed the basis of the old storage system of potatoes, the midden, depended on cold soil temperatures — which are generally below 7°C on average in winter in this country.