Potatoes or spuds or praties must be in short supply or have become unfashionable or has McDonalds cornered the market. The price has tripled. The drought and the floods would have an impact although the price has climbed for some time now.
Potatoes were a good old staple food with vitamins minerals and charbs. I believe they are a reasonable source of Vitamin C and are ahead of a rival - white rice - in that respect.
Potatoes were one of the basics that those on a tight budget would eat and enjoy and were inexpensive for quite some time. Chips are always popular.
This was a quick photo stolen in a duopoly supermart.
PS the following week, as is usual, what seemed to be the same potatoes were $1.96. Another variety was seen at $3.96 kg.