Supermarkets in the Canary Islands have begun to limit the sale of potatoes

The shortage of potatoes in the Canary Islands, due to restrictions on importing them from England and the lack of local production, has started to have an effect in supermarkets across the Archipelago, where supply has decreased and prices have significantly increased.

In response to the shortage, due to the discovery of the red Colorado beetle in some British potatoes, Mercadona has announced measures to control the situation and guarantee supply to its customers.

They are doing this by limiting the amount that people are allowed to buy and have placed warning signs at the entrance and on the checkouts of its supermarkets in the Canary Islands, warning that each customer will only be allowed to buy a maximum of one bag of 3 kilos of potatoes, and 2 kilos in the case of small Canarian potatoes.

By doing this, Mercadona says they aim to ensure that the largest possible number of people have access to buying potatoes by distributing them equally during the shortage.

The red beetle infestation has proved a challenge for the supply of potatoes as it has affected availability in the Canary Islands and led to a rise in prices. The cost per kilo has now almost doubled to 3 euros/kilo, which has had an impact on the pockets of consumers in the region and is having a major impact on bars and restaurants which have had to change menus and prices accordingly.

No large supply of potatoes from other sources is expected to the islands for at least another week to rectify the situation, as producers weren’t ready for the sudden stop from the UK.