Potato exports at highest point in 5 years

The export of consumption and industrial potatoes is running like clockwork this season. 25% more potatoes were exported than in 2016. Up to and including August 2017, this concerns a volume of 118.747 tons, compared to 95.173 tons 1 year earlier. Incidentally, this is also the highest export figure of the last 5 years.

France, in particular, bought more Dutch beepers. Exports increased from 3.719 in 2016 to 14.516 tons in 2017. That amounts to a growth of almost 300%. The Germans, Belgians and Danes also knew where to find the Netherlands.

Swiss and English buy less
The fact that the Swiss can provide themselves with their own potatoes this year is reflected in the figures. Switzerland bought 2016 tons in 852, this year it is only 2017 tons up to and including August 6.

The same picture can be seen in the United Kingdom, which only brought 967 tons of potatoes from the Netherlands this season. The year before that was 3.769 tons.

Good results in Africa
By contrast, potato exports recorded good results in Africa. Total exports to the continent increased by 36%, compared to last year. In particular, Ivory Coast, Mauritania and Senegal ordered more. One possible explanation is the festivities surrounding Ramadan. Exports to Asia remained virtually unchanged, America rose slightly to 7.743 tons.

Import starch still at half
It is also striking that imports increased significantly. In the past 5 years, between 173.000 and 196.000 tons of ware and industrial potatoes were imported, but that figure is much higher this year: 265.066 tons. That is a plus of 34%, compared to 2016. Of this, 6.673 tons are starch potatoes; not even half of other years.

Curious about how the export to the different countries went? Insiders have access to our database.