French farmers are warning that they may not be able to deliver the amounts of potatoes set out in contracts. Extreme heat and lack of rain have left farms parched - with the National Union of Potato Producers (UNPT) saying production could fall by around 23 per cent year on year. This drop would make the season one of the worst ever recorded for the sector. "This season could mark one of the largest production slumps ever recorded for French potatoes", the organisation says.
The fall in yields could prevent some producers from meeting the volumes set out in their contracts with processors. The industry is therefore calling for "contracted volumes to be adjusted to reflect the reality of the harvest".
