Potato seed shortage – significant increase in the number of potato farmers in Norway – NRK Nordland

In spring and summer, it's time for Norwegian farmers to plant potatoes, which will be harvested within a few months.

But it is not only farmers with large fields who are growing potatoes.

A survey conducted by Norstat for Joint purchase This spring showed that seven out of ten Norwegians believe we should produce more food ourselves.

The joy of potatoes has led to challenges.

There simply aren't enough seed potatoes to get them.

– We can confirm that there is a high demand for seed potatoes this season, which has led to stock outs in many departments.

she says Sigbjorn Wedeld, pSenior Communications Consultant at Felleskjøpet.

Stores ordered very little

Videld admits that his stores in northern Norway simply ordered too few quantities, compared to the number of seed potatoes people wanted.

But what exactly are seed potatoes?

Yes, the explanation is simple. It is a potato tuber that is grown to produce new plants. that it the use This is what distinguishes it primarily from food potatoes. They are also smaller and have buds.

When the nights are free of frost, from the beginning of May and preferably before St. Hans, you can put the paws in the ground. If you're lucky, one potato can produce approximately 20 new potatoes.

Not only in the north, but throughout the country, Felleskjøpet is seeing an increase in sales.

The result was a 17 percent increase in sales over last year for all stores across Norway.

There's no simple answer to why people want so many seed potatoes this year.

The high demand may have several explanations. Both a good potato year in the north last year and Felleskjøpet's focus on increasing self-sufficiency are probably part of the reason why. Our customers have clearly opened their eyes to potato farming,” says Wedelde.

He believes the Norstat survey on self-sufficiency is a clear sign of this.

– More than half of Norwegian people answered that they would like to know more about growing their food. Interest in home gardening certainly exists.

Potato farmers: – Very positive!

In Steigen in Nordland we find the Fonn Holland Gård.

Henning Andreas Holland (40) and Dina von Satter (34) run the potato farm in Ingeloya.

Together they won the 2020 Farmer of the Year award for their potato farm.

They have contributed themselves by releasing seed potatoes via Felleskjøpet, and believe that Norwegians' desire to grow their passion is a positive thing.

– It is very positive that people are realizing that we have a low level of supply, and that we need to develop ourselves more. “We are one of the countries in the world with the lowest level of supply, and this is an important step to achieve change,” says Dina Fonn Sætre.

She believes people should know how to grow vegetables themselves. This way, people get a better view of how difficult it is, and what kind of challenges farmers face.

– Everyone who has children should grow potatoes themselves, so that they understand where their food comes from.

Fonn Holland Gård is not selling seed potatoes this year, but had no shortage of orders during the spring.

– We have received many more applications than before, which is interesting, says Henning Andreas Holland.