Hectare price Agrico harvest 2016 highest ever

Due to the good consumer market with high demand and a high price level, the Agrico cooperative paid out a record amount of more than 160 million euros this harvest year. The growers were informed about the good results in a meeting on Thursday afternoon.

The average price for seed potatoes across all sizes, classes S to A, is €33,43 per 100 kg. Last year it was €26,55. The average balance over all ware potatoes delivered for size 0/+, unsorted, delivery week 9 is €12.350 per hectare. This brings the average price to €25,36 per 100 kg.* 

very good question
Agrico's pool amounted to 2016 hectares in 12.650. An increase of 4% compared to the 2015 harvest. The realized kilogram yield per hectare, at approximately 38 tons per hectare, was approximately 10% lower than the 2015 harvest.
Due to a more limited supply and very good demand in all markets, the seed from the 2016 harvest has almost completely sold out.

Political and financial challenges
The seed potato market for early export and the overseas market were well balanced. "In recent years we have been confronted with more and more challenges in these markets due to political, but also financial situations. The price level was equivalent to slightly higher than last harvest."

One of those challenges was Algeria's import quota. "The country expanded the quota at the last minute, so that the varieties for this market could also be sold well." 
The European consumer market, on the other hand, was very good from the start. This created a high demand for seed potatoes. The Agrico varieties for the European fresh market were therefore sold out at a price level above that of 2015.

Tense chips potato market
The situation on the processing industry market was tense from the start of the season. The harvest of ware potatoes was considerably delayed due to the drought in Belgium and northern France. Together with an expansion of the production capacity at the processors, this resulted in high prices on the free market from the start of the season.

growth cracks
The seed potatoes intended for the processing industry are largely laid down in multi-year contracts and initially appeared to be heading for a shortage due to the frequent occurrence of growth cracks, especially in coarse seed potatoes. Agrico therefore argued in favor of broadening the standard for growth cracks. "This resulted in an additional quantity to be sold, but this was smaller than estimated. The price level of the sales of industrial varieties has increased slightly compared to 2015." 

Sold out in organic seed potatoes
The yields of the organically grown seed potatoes were very low at 19,8 tons per hectare. As a result, all the seed potatoes were sold out with an average payout price of €72,67 per 100 kilos. Director Jan van Hoogen looks back on the 2016 harvest year with great satisfaction. “Last year we could already speak of a record year in terms of seed potatoes. This season, together with our members, we have significantly surpassed this growth.” 

* The stated payment price (28/+) of €33,43 is the average over all seed potatoes delivered, excluding VAT. Agrico has been using an average price for all seed potatoes supplied for all sizes (28/+) grades S to A for a few years now. This price is not comparable with the seed potato price that other trading houses publish.

The fees for storage and packaging averaged over all tons of € 2,40 per 100 kg. For monopoly varieties, an average of €1,70 per 100 kg of licenses was withheld.

Read the results of the ware potato pool here.

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