‘Potato price set to rise after frost damages crops’

AMMAN — The price of potatoes is expected to increase starting this week as hundreds of dunums of the field crop were damaged when temperatures dipped below zero last week, Jordan Valley Farmers Union President Adnan Khaddam said on Saturday.

"The low temperatures in the Jordan Valley damaged several hundred dunums of potato crops. In addition, tomatoes grown upside down in greenhouses were also hit by the freezing temperatures," Khaddam told The Jordan Times.

The unionist expected a lower supply of potatoes to the local market in light of the damages.

According to the price list for Saturday posted on the website of the Amman central market for fruit and vegetables, the price of one kilogramme of potatoes currently ranges between JD0.20 and JD0.70.

"Prices of potatoes are expected to increase because supply of the crop will drop. On the other hand, prices of tomatoes will remain unchanged as the crop is grown in several locations," Khaddam said.

Freezing temperatures commenced last Tuesday, when mercury levels dropped to a low of -3ºC in Amman and -5ºC in the high mountains, according to the Jordan Meteorological Department, which expected ice formation to end on Sunday.

Mercury levels dropped to lows of 0ºC and -1ºC in the Jordan Valley, where the weather is usually fair in winter, according to Khaddam.

The spell of freezing temperatures followed a depression and a cold polar front that prevailed early last week, bringing heavy rain and snow to many parts of the country.

The scale of the damage to potato crops in the Jordan Valley is not clear as the spell has not ended yet, Khaddam said, expecting the evaluation of damages to be announced during this week.