Armstrong and Co owner Peter Armstrong grows about 20ha of Jersey benne potatoes on land he owns and leases at Reidston, Totara and Kakanui.
The season was tracking well until downpours at the start and end of October produced more moisture than his potatoes needed.
"They like rain but they don’t like wet feet," he said.
Usually the hardest part of growing potatoes is dealing with the impact of frosts.
"This year we have managed to sneak through. It has been the wet weather that has caught us out a wee bit."
The rainfall delayed the start of the potato harvest as wet potatoes are near impossible to pick.
The soil was wet at the start of the season so it took much longer to harvest the soft-skinned potatoes.
"It was hard work but it is coming right now," he said.
There were plenty of people seeking work to pick the spuds and teaching staff was easier when the soil was dry, he said.
"There is a bit of a technique to picking them when they are wet and it is very slow going," Mr Armstrong said.
Six growers produce Jersey bennes in North Otago.
His late father Bruce began growing Jersey benne potatoes in the 1960s and the harvest method by hand remains the same.
"It has to be done the old-fashioned way."
A stagger-planting of potatoes each month from May to November spreads the risk and gets more young potatoes to market over a longer period.
The impact of heavy rain on a crop is determined by the time of planting.
"The early crops have yielded really well but if you planted within a week or 10 days of those two rain events, chances are you’ve lost a few."
About 80% of a 3ha block had rotted due to wet soil and the entire block would be rotary hoed rather than harvested.
"I’m hearing from all growers that the weather has played a big part in their season," he said.
Some of his potatoes are grown in "fresh ground" — soil which has not had a similar crop in it for several years.
"When you plant in fresh ground, your crop tends to be heavier and everything about it is good."
He hopes heavy rain stays away before Christmas so the potatoes can be harvested quickly to meet demand.
"If these potatoes get wet near Christmas then you’ve got problems because you can’t get them out when everyone wants them."
He sells more potatoes in the 10 days before Christmas than he does for the rest of the season.
The stress to meet the demand is over by Christmas Day, so he can enjoy it with his family.
"I tend to sleep because it has been that full-on."
shawn.mcavinue@alliedpress.co.nz
