Explain the following news dispatch from Hull, England: "The fish market here slumped today to what local commentators called a 'disastrous level'all because of a shortage of potatoes.The potatoes are one of the main ingredients in a dish that figures on almost every caf menufish and chips [French fries]."

The shortage of potatoes either meant they were not available in the required quantities at any price (i.e., that the quantity demanded greatly exceeded the quantity supplied at the market price, for that is how a "shortage" is defined) or that there was an exceptional scarcity of potatoes so that their price was far above normal.In any event, the restaurants could not get enough potatoes at what they considered profitable prices.