Coles is re-introducing shopping for limits for packs of frozen potato merchandise because the nation grapples with a scarcity of potatoes.
Heavy rainfall and main flooding has impacted the nation’s potato manufacturing, inflicting a 25 per cent spike within the wholesale potato value.
The knock-on impact means you’ll now be restricted to a most of two frozen potato merchandise from Coles’ freezers for the foreseeable future.
The coverage got here into impact on Tuesday.
“Poor weather in the eastern states has affected supply of some frozen potato products across the industry,” mentioned a Coles spokesperson.
“We thank customers for their patience while we work hard with suppliers to minimise disruption and return stock to normal levels in the coming months.”
The chain’s recent potato provide, nonetheless, can be unaffected.
An identical restriction was put in place mid-December, forcing households to re-evaluate Christmas meal plans.
Main competitor Woolworths, nonetheless, will proceed with no limits to purchases of potato merchandise.
They’re weathering the storm and count on the provision points to normalise by mid-February.
The scarcity can be affecting the industrial sector, with eating places compelled to both attempt hand-cut chips, or shut their doorways altogether.
One such business was Roy’s Fish & Chips Takeaway Cafe within the New South Wales Far South Coast vacationer city of Batemans Bay, compelled to shut their doorways twice in per week over the New Year vacation as a result of scarcity.
“We have ran out of potato‘s once again and will have to close our shop for trading tomorrow and we will reopen once we source and receive more potato’s,” mentioned a publish on Roy’s Facebook web page from New Year’s Day.
The Oven is a self-described pizza place in Strathalbyn, southeast of Adelaide, the place the spud scarcity has additionally prompted issues.
“Attention all chip lovers! Due to a potato shortage in Australia, we regret to inform you that we are currently unable to supply our normal chips,” reads a publish on their Facebook web page from January 12.
“We have found a temporary substitute but will not have sweet potato for the time being.”
And within the Victorian border city of Rutherglen, the ‘GRACE. bar + eatery’ is going through an identical state of affairs.
“HOT CHIPS IN CRISIS,” they declare in a Facebook publish uploaded on Friday.
“Due to the great Australian potato shortage of 2022-23, at some stage, over the weekend, we will run out of our incredibly popular ‘truffle fries’.
“But have no fear, we are now stocked with crinkle cut chips,” mentioned the publish, earlier than controversially including “And let’s face it, they are undeniably the superior chip for crunch to fluffy centre ratio.”
