tiny spuds

[Mo]

Has anyone else noticed that supermarkets are selling smaller spuds this year.

I know that when I dig up my own they vary from pea-sized upwards, and I scrub or peel most of them and use them.

But spuds from a shop used to be egg sized or bigger, now there are lots smaller ones in the bags. I weighed them before I peeled them tonight. Some were 3 oz (what i used to think were small) a few slightly bigger, but a lot were about 1 oz.

[MissEllie]

I often buy new potatoes and even they're on the small side at the moment.

[fishpond]

Not enough rain?

[Mo]

Not enough rain?

That must be it!!!!!!

I wondered if the rules had changed about what could be sold for human consumption and what had to go for animal feed.

Of course they never used to take all the big ones out and sell them as 'baking potatoes'

[pepi]

due to the bad weather last year worldwide, potato crops were very badly hit. (did you know Russia is a huge producer of potatos?!) Cost of spuds has escalated hugely this year due to the shortage too, so I reckon that the small pototos we are seeing is due to the bad crops, and also due to the economic issue - even small spuds are put in the bag.

I rarely peel any potatos - the skin is edible and full of nutrients - the small ones, I love to coat in a bit of oil and some sea salt and pop in the oven - with skins on - very tasty!

did you see lately that the LUMPER potato (the type that was used exclusively in Ireland and was the cause of the famine here) has recently been reintroduced, and is supposed to be very good quality/flavour!! (Havent found them on sale yet)

[LittleBrownFrog]

I hadn't noticed (there are enough of us here that I buy a big sack from the tractor parked just along the road from T£sco), but I looked today & I think you're right Mo. Even the 'baking potatoes' didn't look like they'd make much of a meal. (I fish all the big ones out of the sack and hide them from dh, otherwise he turns them in to mash!)