First It Was Lettuce. Now Potato Prices Are Set to Soar!

First the price of lettuce went through the roof. Now potato prices are set to soar. See: https://kitchen.nine.com.au/latest/price-of-potatoes-austral…

KFC replaced lettuce with cabbage. Now what will fast food places do with french fries? Fried daikon radish strips?

Comments

  • +1

    Now what will fast food places do with french fries?

    Turnips, neeps to our Scottish friends.

    • +2

      For a while hello fresh using turnips instead of potatoes, never had eaten one until then & never planned to eat it again.

      • Goodbye Hello Fresh.

        • +1

          why turnips are delicious!!!

    • +11

      And with that, the mighty heroes of KFC banished the evil potatoes forever. Because they were haunted.

      Now let’s all celebrate, with a cool glass of turnip juice.

    • +4

      Nice try Shelbyville

    • Mmmm, Turnip and Gravy…

  • -5

    You know what also soars during times like these?
    Wages of the ultra white elite CEO's and their buddies.

    • +27

      The captains of industry need to be paid rapidly increasing salary packages or they would abandon us and refuse to bestow their knowledge on the common folk.

      How else would a farmer know how to grow a potato, if the Woolworths CEO didn't have their pay packet increased by 37% to $8.38 million?
      https://womensagenda.com.au/latest/shemara-wikramanayake-top…

      • Whoa hold up. Do I have to rescind my comment because she is does not look as I stated.

        • +10

          because she is does not look as I stated.

          Wut?

          • @spackbace: I said "ultra white elite", but one of the top Australian CEO's is of Sri Lankan heritage. I just assumed wrong.
            I guess it is good to see some diversity amongst the biggest rorters lol.

        • +15

          There is no war except class war.

          End this toxic "white people are responsible for the world's problems" BS coming out of the USA. Non white countries are unapologetically racist

          • +9

            @greatlamp: True, Indians are quite racist when in India and they cry/fuss when they face racism overseas.

            Source: I was born in India

            • +3

              @jedimaster: TBH, there are people within all countries, races, religions, etc., etc., that discriminate against others.

        • +3

          Daily reminder that 'diversity' is code for anti-white :)

      • +4

        150 years ago Karl Marx outlined all this. Nothing has changed. All wealth is funnelled to the very few at the top under capitalism.

        The only difference is that the masses are now so successfully sedated with social media and general 'pop culture' they don't realise they are living off scraps from the table of the rich. No, scraps is far too generous, it's so small you would need a microscope to see it.

        • Well, capitalism isn’t the issue per say..

          It’s the collusion of ultra wealthy and the policy makers..

          We can blame the government, sure.
          But I personally believe that the onus lies on us as a collective to keep our elected bodies in check. But it’s hard to do that when we are all busy with these inane struggles of race, sex, identity politics etc I mean it’s obvious that they want us to stay divided and fight amongst ourselves.

          • +2

            @Gervais fanboy: How can capitalism not be the issue if the onus is on society to keep the capitalists from corrupting the legislature?

            • -1

              @RolandWaites: No… you have clearly misconstrued my point there.

              I quite clearly spoke about monitoring our ‘elected officials’ and keeping them answerable, not the ‘capitalists’.

              Capitalism or Socialism - Businessmen by design will always be opportunistic and it’s upon the regulatory bodies to keep them in check.

              Also, most businessmen are private citizens like you and me, there’s no framework that allows us as fellow citizens to hold them accountable.

    • +23

      Ultra White Elite

      Ofcos, you had to make it about race, didn’t ya..
      I challenge you to do the same when talking about the crime statistics and the over-representation of one or two ethnicities in that column.

    • +8

      You know what’s rich

      The admins took down his comment (https://www.ozbargain.com.au/comment/12428694/redir) for merely calling you a loser.

      When your comment, that clearly makes a racial generalisation is still up.

      Utter madness.

      • +1

        The account is clearly a ghost account, created only to write the comment

        Member Since
        2 hours 18 min ago
        Last Seen
        1 hour 38 min ago

        • +7

          How’s that relavent to the point that I just made..

          That ‘ghost account’ had its comment taken down for a ‘personal attack’.
          Peeboy made a racial remark and wasn’t censored alike.

          I merely pointed out the hypocrisy here.

          • +2

            @Gervais fanboy: So report the comment you're whinging about? Mods don't read comments

            It's completely relevant because their comment/s would've been removed regardless of content, due to being a ghost account…

            • +1

              @spackbace:

              So report the comment you're whinging about

              I disagree with some opinions but still respect them enough to not censor them or dislike them, I believe that to be weak and pathetic. It’s his right to express himself.
              I was merely pointing out the double standards.

              Mods don't read comments

              Okay, I didn’t contemplate the possibility of someone reporting his comment. Having said that, if a mod takes down a mere reply they should also read the actual comment that they actually responded to. That would make more sense.

              It's completely relevant because their comment/s would've been removed regardless of content, due to being a ghost account…

              But they didn’t though, they took his comment down for ‘personal attack’.

              • -4

                @Gervais fanboy: So talk to them? You're an adult, yes?

                • +3

                  @spackbace: Whats wrong with me highlighting something here publicly..

                  I doubt the admins can undo what they have already done and I don’t actually want them to take someone else’s comment down.
                  As I said, I just wanted to pinpoint the hypocrisy.

                  • -1

                    @Gervais fanboy: Im happy to meet you for a coffee in or around Melbourne if you would like?
                    My shout. You do not need to be so offended or assume other things I have said or done.

                    :)
                    Im also being serious, no need to hate on me for someone calling me a loser and my comment staying. I didn't ask for that, all I said was are you triggered and a link. Have some Ozbargain spirit!

                    • +9

                      @iNeed2Pee:

                      You do not need to be so offended or assume other things I have said or done.

                      You made a generalisation (factually correct btw) on a false premise.
                      Insinuating ‘whiteness’ with something uniquely bad.
                      I did dissect your point in a comment that was subsequently taken down.
                      Now You label me ‘offended’ when you yourself go around this website sneakily disliking people’s comments even if they happen to be factually correct. I don’t do that, I also don’t false report people’s comments and posts, ever.
                      It would take an ‘offended’ soul to do that.
                      But God forbid, allow me to disagree with you without falsely labelling me as ‘offended’.
                      I am not white at all but felt compelled to challenge this very fashionable self-loathing, anti white narrative going around in the west. Coz I grew up in thrift world countries and witnessed evil first hand.

                      Im also being serious, no need to hate on me for someone calling me a loser and my comment staying

                      I never did. That’s another strawman. I quite clearly challenged the Ozbargain’s admins for doing that.
                      What are you even on about
                      Ofcos I had to reply within this thread otherwise it would have made my comment seem irrelevant.

                      Im happy to meet you for a coffee in or around Melbourne

                      Respect you for the offer, I coincidentally do live in Melbourne too but travelling at the moment. Maybe later. Thanks.

                • +3

                  @spackbace: How do you tell someone to shutup, without telling them to shutup? Exactly what you're doing. Forum is for discussion.

                  • @cookie2: 👍

                  • -1

                    @cookie2: So, you're trying to shut me up?

                    That part of the 'discussion' was about the mods, not the topic at hand. They can be addressed separately…

                    • +4

                      @spackbace:

                      That part of the 'discussion' was about the mods

                      It was about the actions of the mods, indeed.
                      But you can see why I disagreed with them. Hence, the onus on making it public.
                      Just like you and me, mods here shouldn’t be above public scrutiny or are you suggesting otherwise ?
                      You have repeated your same crammed up reply for the third time now, despite me clearly explaining the reasons behind my actions.
                      It seems like you feel naturally disposed to disagree with me for the sake of it.

                      • -1

                        @Gervais fanboy:

                        You have repeated your same crammed up reply for the third time now

                        My comment was replied to by a 3rd party, so I replied to them. They seemed to think you couldn't fight a battle by yourself.

                        Or do you fail to read how replies work on this forum?

                        • +3

                          @spackbace:

                          My comment was replied to by a 3rd party, so I replied to them

                          Doesn’t matter who you said it to..
                          Fact is, you have said the same exact thing soo many times now, blatantly disregarding my position behind MY own comment.

                          They seemed to think you couldn't fight a battle by yourself.

                          Says the hypocrite that uninvitedly replied to me (https://www.ozbargain.com.au/comment/12429394/redir) despite the fact I wasn’t talking to you but the peeboy up top.
                          But unlike you I didn’t make a song and dance about it.
                          Talk about ‘double standards’, aye ?

                          • @Gervais fanboy: For someone who whinged about me replying (even though to another member), you seem to struggle to stop yourself…

                            R U OK?

                            • @spackbace: Wow,

                              I didn’t challenge your interaction with someone else.
                              I challenged the point that you made ( the point which 100% directly alludes to my comment above)

                              If you had some integrity, you’d see it for what it is.

                            • @spackbace: I apologise unreservedly to you for all of this 🤣

                          • +2

                            @Gervais fanboy: My name is iNeed2Pee not peeboy.

                            Are you still going on about this lol?

                            • +1

                              @iNeed2Pee: It just saves time - less letters.

                              Plus it’s slightly funnier, more casual.
                              Moderates any unintended animosity.

                              ‘Funny’
                              The exact thing you were going for when you decided to opt for that username so I thought it would be okay for me to say it.
                              But If it were your real name, i’d be more precise with it..

          • -6

            @Gervais fanboy:

            Peeboy made a racial remark

            INeed2Pee (which I'm assuming is who you mean by "Peeboy" - nice sexual remark there, by the way…) stated "ultra white elite CEO's". Is this statement incorrect? Most (western) CEOs are indeed white. Are CEO's not part of the "elite", at least in terms of wealth, which is what this comment thread is about?

            In your opinion, why is INeed2Pee's comment in need of moderation?

            • +8

              @Chandler:

              nice sexual remark there

              Hahahahahah, how the F Is that a sexual remark ?
              The lengths you lot will go to.. Genius

              ultra white elite CEO's". Is this statement incorrect? Most (western) CEOs are indeed white.

              When you attach a person’s biological features ( something they don’t have a control over) you get into the territory of making it a exclusively racial thing.
              Also, he didn’t say ‘most Ceos’, you just did.

              Its like someone attaching ‘black/Muslim’ when citing some of our crazy crime statistics…
              But I know most of you here would jump on those insinuations like it were candy..

              Are CEO's not part of the "elite", at least in terms of wealth

              Depends on the location you are talking about..
              Are we talking about the East ?
              India ? Where most of them just happen to be Hindus who are either Gujrati or Sindhi, despite being the overall minorities in the nation.
              China, 100% of them the active members of the CCP (discrimination based on political affiliations)

              Africa ?

              Or are you talking about the West ?
              Where majority of the population during its industrialisation phase was European
              /White and have since most often transferred power over via Nepotism ( global phenomenon).
              Just like how you have/would get some ancestral assets from your parents and not the diligent postman working tirelessly.
              But we never make an issue with our own tendencies to hoard power and wealth within our own families but God forbid if it’s someone richer than us..

              which is what this comment thread is about?

              Hahaha, the logic on that..
              Peeboy started this ‘thread’ and yes obviously, this thread is all about what he said.

              In your opinion, why is INeed2Pee's comment in need of moderation?

              Some More strawman,
              I never said or requested for any moderationZ
              I was trying to make a totally different power and it’s tiering to having to explain something to someone who doesn’t care about what I have already said.

            • @Chandler: Exactly. Took the words out of my mouth.
              Nothing in my comments were racist at all.
              It's the facts. I didn't call anyone derogatory names or slander anyone.
              I merely pointed out the facts and even linked to well cited sources.

              • +1

                @iNeed2Pee: It feels like you're arguing in bad faith iNeed2Pee

                We can all state facts but sometimes they're irrelevant to the conversation at hand. For example "The average Korean man's penis is approximately 5.36 inches long, almost the length of a Nong Shim Shin Ramyun packet at it's longest." Another would be "Black people have the highest rates of saying/using the word n****r per capita, narrowly beating white girls in their teens trying to be cool."
                That doesn't mean I have to mention their race or I should even have to consider it as a factor in someone's employment

                To take the words out of your mouth, these CEOs are "ultra white", taking it a step beyond being even regular white. The fact that this is relevant to your disdain for CEOs implies the whiter they are, the worse your disdain and if they were of some non-white descent it would all of a sudden be fine. That's racism. Your focus is on the colour of their skin which they can't change through reasonable means and would likely be called racist for trying (see: blackfishing)

                As Gervais fanboy (now known as GF) said, in many non-Western countries the majority of CEOs aren't white let alone ultra white. Beyond that fact it doesn't really matter what the colour of their skin is or where they are

                "It's the facts"

                The parts Chandler took out of your mouth are not facts. I assume you wholeheartedly agree with him based off your enthusiastic endorsement of his comment. He says that Gervais fanboy wanted your comments moderated. He does not

                Chandler also attempts to look cool by implying GF was making a sexual advance/remark when he clearly wasn't. I assume this is also to make GF seem like some sort of perverted freak that's in to waterworks so people would be less likely to stand with his side of the argument. From the people (I assume) arguing for "equality" it's strange you endorse a message that seems to be trying to put other people down

                The glut of people like you who can't seem to keep identity politics out of every conversation is exhausting and insufferable. I include those that shout out "girls have vaginas and boys have penises" in the comments sections of OzBargain

                Have a good afternoon and stop blaming white people for the world's problems when it's predominantly politicians, corporations and the unreasonably rich's fault

                • +1

                  @SpainKing:

                  To take the words out of your mouth, these CEOs are "ultra white", taking it a step beyond being even regular white. The fact that this is relevant to your disdain for CEOs implies the whiter they are, the worse your disdain

                  For the sake of integrity and playing the devil’s advocate here…
                  I personally think that iNeed2Pee in saying ‘ultra white elites’ was trying to refer to the ultra-rich white people, which by itself was a daft thing to do. Sure.
                  But still, I don’t think he was trying to say what you think he was..
                  I genuinely hope I am right on this one as it would be quite concerning otherwise.

                  • +1

                    @Gervais fanboy: Gervais, playing devil's advocate is what I love to do and I respect the integrity. I believe you're correct but he put white as his first descriptor so I thought I'd call him out on it as it makes it appear the whiter they are the worse

                    On its own the sentence seems to imply "Kickbacks for the elite rise as the cost of goods do (through nefarious/unscrupulous means). By way of nepotism this money also spreads to their friends. They're all white and so are there friends (and they're probably racist, unlike me)". It's the latter part of the message I have a problem with. Racism doesn't solve racism, so I don't see how focussing on the colour of those people's skin is appropriate

                    Admittedly it's a bit of a stretch to say the parts in parentheses are what the message in isolation is implying

                    • @SpainKing:

                      put white as his first descriptor so I thought I'd call him out on it as it makes it appear the whiter they are the worse

                      Yup, he 100% did that. And I just doubt that he actually meant to word it like that or try to make that ‘whiter you are are - more evil you are’ insinuation.

                      Regardless, even with a civil discourse I doubt that we can change anyone’s mind anymore, only ours.
                      Coz He kept liking every comment that was somewhat trying to defend him or anyone that was engaging in weird semantics with me. Considering, most of those dissenters had their points ripped apart under the most gentle scrutiny.
                      Even that false ‘sexual remark’ allegation, iNeed2Pee was the only lib to agree with that. Mentally, I just gave at that point.

      • +1

        Generalisations that are correct are not racist.

        To make an inference about a group of people based on that generalisation is the racist bit… E.g. assuming all white people have doors held open for them and earn more money etc because the majority white top 1% skew the statistics.

        Same goes for discussing over representation of other demographics in crime/prison/etc. Not only is it not racist or bigoted to discuss, but it's the first essential step in ever doing something about it.

    • +2

      You must be a barrel of laughs at parties.

    • +8

      Ultra white? Why you gotta refer to someones skin colour man. would you say black or ultra black? Why do some seem to think it's appropriate to use someone's skin colour, a trait born with, against them. But it's only ok for certain skin colours. I can't be the only one to see the maddness and double standard in this.

    • How good is Alan Joyce

      • 🤣 Spends his time wearing Qantas on inaugural flights from Perth to Rome but keeps cancelling 1hr domestics lol

        • Yeah, screws workers then blames everything else for his company screwing customers

    • Would agree if you missed out the racist comments about white people

    • Poms used to be the biggest whingers in Australia, but that honour now belongs to you.
      Well done on taking something from the ultra white elite.

  • +7

    First-world problem.

    The bigger issue is that, having been a journalist for close to 10 years, with a Bachelor of Journalism and Minor in Marketing, graduating with Distinction from the University of Wollongong, this is the type of hard-hitting journalism that is produced.

    • +1

      Cant be worse that the type of journalism based on people’s response to tiktok/twitter response that divides the internet.

      The twitter ones are just a short blurb followed by a string of replies.

      • +2

        a short blurb followed by a string of replies.

        Isn't that an OZBargain forum post?

    • +2

      Unfortunately it's what gets clicks/ad revenue that drives "news" websites now. Murdoch certainly knows what gets people clicking

      I'm sure Kristine and many others like her would love a job at Four Corners, but someone has gotta write this crap.

    • Try the Daily Mail or Yahoo News Australia if you are looking for stuff that is more hard hitting.

    • +2

      Journalism! What a quaint idea. That profession died a long time ago. Now it's just press releases, pushing the agenda of your employer and passing off 'news' dressed up as a product that advertisers have paid for.

      There is no 'news' anymore and need for journalism, you just pick a political team and follow whatever media outlet the billionaire on your side has bankrolled to further their own power.

  • +3

    Large fast food chains are massive consumers of potatoes. I wouldn't be surprised if they're on long term contracts.

    Us general consumers however have no such luxury. I noticed the generic frozen chips at Woolworths have gone up from $1.90 to $2 a couple of years ago, to $2.30 last year, and now they're $2.90. That's quite a steep jump, and the product is fully imported meaning local potato prices don't matter.

    There is still the logical alternative: don't eat potatoes. Find something else to eat which is currently cheap, like pumpkin.

    • Import costs have gone up.

    • The alternative approach is too logical for some to comprehend.

    • And will have a higher nutritional value than potatoes too.

    • +2

      Large fast food chains, like supermarkets, have very large farms exclusively tied to them long term. These are not exactly yuor traditional family mixed farm but major agribusinesses.

      I don't buy this stuff about a spud shortage. Unlike, say, bananas they're so easy to grow and grown so widely across Oz that poor growing conditions in one area will have zero effect on the Australia-wide market. As so often, the media picks up some farmer who has had a bad year or is in the middle of bargaining with a supermarket chain over a long term contract and then generalises that to "rural crisis! farmers ripped off again! food shortage!".

  • Now what will fast food places do with french fries?

    Use imported fries.

  • +22

    You know what's last to soar,

    OUR WAGES

  • +1

    In 5 months the turkeys will finally soar into the sky.

  • West : We are shutting down our gas pipelines to reduce our carbon footprint. Stop trade with Russia because ❤️🇺🇦🇺🇦❤️

    Also the West : We will buy more oil from the murderous Saudi regimes at inflated prices, add to the global hyperinflation from Covid because we are soo ‘virtuous’.

    Most average people : Let’s just pretend everything’s okay and sing Kumbaya.

  • -1

    rip ireland

    • +1

      Does Ireland import potatoes from Australia?

      • -5

        nfi, but also, who cares
        a bit of famine never killed anyone

        • +2

          I was trying to understand the relevance of your comment

          • +4

            @GG57: He was trying to make a joke about the irish potato famine :) hahah

  • +3

    Spudshed.

  • +7

    Buy some potatoes and grow them in your yard. They aren't hard to grow. That is why so many people depend on them.

    Make a basic worm farm (old polystyrene broccoli container, your local fruit veg shop will throw a lot away, fill it with some soil and add your uncooked veg / fruit off cuts. No citrus) to fertilize it.

    Modern fertilizer is made from fossil fuels so not very helpful.

    • What’s polystyrene made out of?

      • +3

        Difference is it lasts forever as container for a worm farm and usually not recycled (although recyclable).

    • I thought a lot of supermarket potatoes are treated supermarket to prevent growth?

  • +3

    Can I please order a Zinger, Coke, with a side of Eastern Europe Cat Milk cheese please.

  • +1

    wonder if they will substitute chips with rice like they do in Asia as they did with the lettuce cabbage situation

  • Wont someone please think of the children….

    • Won't someone please think of the chicken…

      • +2

        Won't someone please think of the Potatos….

  • +2

    You do know that these things just grow in dirt. You can literally grow your own… Lettuce is basically a weed similar to dandelions and will grow fast and happily in pots. Potatoes much the same and come from the same family as tomatoes, so they grow like weeds as well.

  • +4

    Didn't think potato prices would ever get off the ground.

  • +1

    Sweet potato, bro.

    • Not the same taste though.
      Cook faster due to the higher sugar content.

    • If you plant sweet potato you'll never get rid of it. It grows like a weed.

      • So you can eat and smoke em at the same time? Sweeeeet.

  • Can Cats eat Lettuce and Potato?
    I don't think they can, so OP shouldn't be worried.

    • +1

      I'm a huuuman, I just eat like a cat meow

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