Some growers are harvesting early varieties now, with the main harvest getting under way in a few weeks. Potatoes New Zealand chair Paul Olsen said his crop in Manuwatu was looking good, but further north in Pukekohe, growers had had a lot of rain. Olsen said if the national crop did end up being smaller, prices could remain higher, as demand for potatoes had been solid. He hasn't made money on potatoes for 18 months, so getting higher prices would be good for cash flow. "It's getting to the stage now where growers have decided, well, it's not worth growing anymore, so they got out of it."

Source: Otago Daily Times February 16, 2026 06:13 UTC