Inside: Potato Market
Floods ravage German farmers
In parts of Germany, more precipitation fell in 24 hours than normally falls in a whole month. Towns and cities have to deal with flooding. It is especially successful under Hanover and near Berlin. This also has consequences for the local potato market.
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Choose the subscription that suits youThe German city of Hildesheim, below Hanover, has the dubious honor of having received the most rainfall in the past 24 hours. It is wet throughout Lower Saxony. The precipitation sum for 48 hours rises to almost 200 millimeters in extreme cases. This leads to flooding and significant flooding. Normally, Lower Saxony receives 68,5 millimeters of rain in July.
Not this wet since 1908
Residents in the capital Berlin also have to deal with flooding. It is also very wet around the city. Normally this region is one of the driest in Germany. Not since 1908 has it been this wet in July. On average, 580 millimeters falls per year in the area around Berlin. That level has already been reached this year. The reason for the heavy precipitation is the low-pressure area 'Alfred', which is moving from southern Poland to northern Germany.
More German regions are sounding the alarm. There was also a lot of precipitation in the state of Hesse. Only around Leipzig it remained almost completely dry. The German weather service DWD continues to warn about the extreme rainfall, including in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.
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Precipitation is particularly noticeable under Hannover. The counter rises sharply towards 200 millimeters in 48 hours.
Roonen falls silent
The region around Berlin is not of great importance for potato cultivation. Lower Saxony is by far the largest potato growing state in Germany. This area receives ample rainfall throughout the growing season, but this is now taking on extreme proportions. The harvesting of early potatoes for consumption and French fries has come to a standstill. Digging is not possible and given the precipitation it will remain that way for the time being. Potato processors are largely switching to new-crop potatoes. In most cases, this concerns crops that are grown under contract.
Weak market due to holidays
The summer holiday period has also started in Germany. This weakens the consumption market, because purchases decrease. Tourists visiting Germany actually result in more consumption. This means a shift in the purchase from supermarkets towards the catering industry. However, that is not nearly enough to give the market a boost. In Lower Saxony, €22 to €24 per 100 kilos are paid for waxy varieties, for loose product delivered. A decrease of €2 compared to last week. The average potato price is €20,21 per 100 kilos this week.
More acreage in the east
Insiders expect that the German weather extremes will have little influence on the potato market and price formation. A pause in the harvesting does not cause any problems. However, phytophthora pressure increases sharply with a combination of rain and temperatures up to 26 degrees.
Provisional area figures show that 10,5% more potatoes were planted in eastern Germany this year. The total area in the states of Saxony-Anhalt and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern therefore amounts to 46.000 hectares. In Saxony-Anhalt the area has increased by even 22%.
Anyone who compares the precipitation map with the distribution of the German potato area will immediately see where the focus is. The area amounted to 2016 hectares in 235.500.
Photo credit: @Goldbowser