Inside: Potato Market
European potato harvest forecast plust
With a harvest forecast of 33.6 tons per hectare in 2017, 2,4 percent more potatoes are produced in the European Union than last year. Belgium in particular scores better, but that country was hit hard by flooding in 2016.
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Choose the subscription that suits youThe program MARS Bulletin for May, it is estimated that the coming harvest will be 3,5 percent higher than the five-year average. The forecast has been adjusted upwards by 0,7 percent compared to the April forecast.
As things stand, Belgium, France, Hungary, Romania and Greece are achieving above-average yields this year. The other EU countries reach an average level.
Poles harvest less
It is also striking that Austria harvests 10 percent fewer potatoes and the Czech harvest is also 12 percent smaller. The Polish harvest forecast is currently set at 22.4 tons per hectare. That is a reduction of 5,4 percent compared to 2016 and almost 2 percent below the five-year average.
The damage of the night frost has remained limited in the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany. However, the early potatoes were delayed. With the favorable temperatures, the crops will develop well in the coming weeks.
