Potatoes: From Overabundance to Scarcity?

A few months ago, farmers in the Cayo and Orange Walk Districts had thousands of pounds of potatoes rotting in the fields. It was produce they were unable to sell because of competing imported Mexican and contraband potatoes. The Ministry of Agriculture stopped importation permits, but farmers still faced a glut of potatoes on the market and had to resort to unique means to get rid of them. For instance, the Principal of Saint Catherine Academy rallied students to buy almost two thousand pounds of potatoes from one farmer. Now comes reports that potatoes have become “scarce” at the market. Is it so? Not according to Minister Godwin Hulse, who says farmers indicated they have more than enough to sell.

Godwin Hulse

Reporter

“We have also received reports of potatoes being scarce; are you aware of this?”

Godwin Hulse, Minister of Agriculture

“No. It’s interesting – we had an overabundance a couple months ago; and I was told that we had supplies that would last eight or ten months. I don’t know that it could last that, because we have a storage problem, but I’m not aware that potatoes are scarce.”