日本土豆歉收引发薯片危机

Japanese potato crisp-maker Calbee and its main rival Koike-Ya are facing a major crunch in their supply chain.

日本薯片制造商卡乐比和其主要竞争对手湖池屋均面临原材料供应危机。

Both firms are said to be suspending sales or discontinuing several crisp brands after Japan suffered its worst potato harvest in at least 34 years.

两家公司都表示，由于日本遭受了近34年以来最严重的的土豆生产不足，将暂停或停止销售几个品牌的薯片。

Typhoons and floods in Hokkaido, its main potato-growing region, last year caused a shortage of the vegetable.

北海道是最主要的马铃薯种植区，去年的台风和洪水灾害严重影响了蔬菜的收成。

Calbee looked to cover the shortfall by increasing US potato imports, but that proved insufficient to meet demand.

卡乐比希望通过增加马铃薯的进口以填补缺口，但事实证明这并不能满足需求。

According to local media reports, including The Japan Times and The Mainichi, Calbee and Koike-Ya are halting shipments of 49 potato crisp products.

据包括《日本时报》、《每日新闻》在内的当地媒体报道，卡乐比和湖池屋正在停止49种薯片产品的出货。

Calbee, which owns more than half of Japan's snack food market, saw shares fell by more than 1% last Tuesday. Koike-ya, which is Japan's second-largest snack maker, saw shares tumble by 3.5%.

占有日本休闲食品市场一半以上份额的卡乐比，其股价于上周二下跌了1%。而日本第二大零食生产商湖池屋的股价则大跌3.5%。

Both companies declined to comment whether there would be an impact on their upcoming earnings.

这两家公司都拒绝对此次事件是否会影响他们未来的盈利发表评论。