A string of bad, wet winter weather on both New Zealand islands has reportedly hit potato growers hard as the price has been seriously affected.
"It started raining in March, and it just simply hasn't stopped," Chris Claridge, the CEO of Potatoes New Zealand told Radio Live NZ.
"Potatoes are actually alive - they need to breathe," he explained. And so effectively they drown, and then they start to rot... because they're submerged in water."
According to BBC, one kilo of potatoes used to cost AUD $1.63 in August 2016 and now, one year later, it costs $2.12. More specifically, the kind of potatoes needed to make the crispy treat seem to be particularly affected.
The threat of a summer without chips has rapidly spread across social networks, under the hashtag #chipocalypse
https://twitter.com/mikebosson/status/919891666164682752?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
Will there be chips this summer?
The Supermarket Pak n' Save, whose in-store shelf-signage kicked off the social media outcry, later downplayed any potential shortage, claiming it "was actually due to an ordering error."
As for Claridge, the head of Potatoes New Zealand, who has been enjoying an unusually high profile since the story kicked off, says that while crops have definitely been affected, it's nothing to start panicking about.
