Spud prices soar in EU as fields too wet for harvest
The Christmas staple is getting pricier as climate change hits
Most potatoes are harvested by late autumn, but around 15pc of the Dutch crop remained in the ground in November
European potato prices are soaring as heavy rains leave spuds mired in the mud, curbing supplies just as demand for the Christmas-dinner staple rises.
Farmers in Belgium, France and the UK have sidelined tractors, which have difficulty navigating waterlogged fields, limiting collection. The crops risk rotting if left too long. Potato futures in Europe are now trading at the highest seasonal level in at least 14 years.