I'm still shocked after moving to Germany how much more expensive potatoes are here than in the UK.

British loose potatoes are 70p per kg from Sainsburys. I'm sure you could get them cheaper elsewhere.

Here in Germany the absolute cheapest is like 1.40 euro per kg, much more common 2.50 (!!)

The wage is a little higher so I have adjusted somewhat, also the quality is arguably slightly better, but still...

There are only two things that are significantly cheaper in Germany than in the UK: alcohol (especially beer and wine), and tobacco

You might like to check out the cheaper end supermarkets, you can get 1kg potatos for 0.60ct at my local Kaufland (when they're discounted). Just get enough so they last until the next discount. Normally they're around 1.00€.

Perhaps it’s because I’m in Hamburg, but Kaufland is nowhere near that cheap

I'm not sure if it's still happening but... there was a potato shortage during the pandemic. At least here in North America. It had to do with a disease affecting the crops IIRC.

What I understood from actual farmer : fuel and fertilizer.