As French Fry Demand Diminishes, Potato Acres Expected To Drop

Manitoba potato growers are feeling the impact of COVID-19.

 

Dan Sawatzky is Manager of Keystone Potato Producers Association.

 

"Acreage will be down this year," he said. "An estimate might be in that 67,000 range, which is similar to a couple years back. We are seeing demand for fries diminishing, certainly with the COVID-19 virus, people are staying home more and a lot of our product goes through quick service restaurants and even the sit down restaurants, and they're all closed. Obviously, we're seeing a real shutdown of a lot of that market."

 

Sawatzky says they are seeing an increase in retail fry sales, however it's small compared to the loss at restaurants.

 

He's hoping to see a rebound in 2020, as roughly 12,000 acres of potatoes were left unharvested last fall.