Prolonged wet weather conditions have posed a threat to the supply of potatoes in Australia as brands and supermarkets alike hurry to ensure availability.
PepsiCo Australia warned this week that stock levels for its popular chip brands like Smiths and Red Rock Deli could be affected for months as a result of heavy rainfall.
“While we are managing potato supply, we have been working closely with our retail partners to ensure our brands continue to be widely available,” a spokesperson for PepsiCo told The Guardian.
Supermarkets such as Woolworths, Coles and Aldi, have also reported a potato shortage.
“Due to supply chain issues affecting suppliers, some brands of potato chips may be unavailable,” a spokesperson for Coles told The Guardian.
“In terms of the current reports around the weather impacting supply, there’s been some damage to infrastructure and roads which is making it challenging to get the products to market,” said Shaun Lindhe, national communications manager at AusVeg.
“If the ground is too wet to get machinery on, it can delay things like planting and harvesting. That’s then leading to a tight supply market for processed potatoes.”
