Snack food makers in Japan are suspending sales of some potato chip products

They say potatoes are in short supply due to typhoon damage last year.

Koikeya suspended sales of 9 potato chip products in late March. The Tokyo-based firm has ended selling 7 others.

Calbee also plans to end sales of 18 snack items on Saturday, and suspend 15 others a week later.

Makers say last year potato harvests were poor on the northern main island of Hokkaido due to typhoon damage. Hokkaido is a major production center of potato varieties for making chips.

The snack makers are suspending or ending some items to divert ingredients toward their leading products. They are also limiting the release of new products.

They say they have no clear prospect in the coming months of procuring the same amount of potatoes as in usual years.

Source: NHK
Image: ANN