Inside: Potato Market
EU-5 potato crop below record 2014
A larger area and a higher yield will bring the 2017 potato harvest in the EU-5 above the 5-year average. This prognosis is issued by the NEPG (North-western Europan Potato Growers) on the basis of trial harvests and practical results from the field.
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Choose the subscription that suits youThe NEPG expects a total harvest of 27,9 million tons of ware potatoes. This is a result of the increased acreage. This increased by 4,6% compared to last season. In addition, it is a result of the average yield per hectare. This is estimated at 48,2 tons, 2,9% higher than the 5-year average.
The NEPG emphasizes that this is an estimate at the moment, based on trial harvests and expectations from various countries. The final harvest figures may still differ from this.
Throughgrowth and phytophthora
The total estimated harvest is 11,5% higher than the 5-year average, but lower than the record harvest of 28,5 million tons in 2014. Despite the difficult start, the crops were able to recover during the summer and this leads to a harvest with good quality.
Quality problems have been reported for Bintje, such as washout and phytopthora. In addition, it is reported from the Netherlands that the underwater weights are also too low. The latter will lead to a lower efficiency in processing, which will require more raw materials.
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Export demand drives raw material needs
The low price level indicates a high supply in the coming months. The NEPG indicates that the comparison with 2014 is not entirely realistic. The demand for potatoes for processing has increased by 1,5 million tons.
In addition, the export of processed products to countries outside the EU has increased in recent months. This despite the stronger euro. That remains the driving force behind the increased demand for raw materials.
More potatoes in starch and feed
According to the NEPG, more potatoes in the Netherlands and Germany will disappear into starch production and animal feed. Many growers will not choose to store inferior batches of lower quality. Furthermore, experience has shown that in years with low prices, potatoes are rejected more quickly and that the tare percentages are higher.
However, the NEPG emphasizes that the harvest has not yet been harvested. She expects to be able to publish the final figures at the end of October or early November.