Agrico: largest seed potato sales ever

Agrico pays an average of €27,26 per 100 kilos for seed potatoes of all sizes (in class A to S). The price for seed potatoes in the seed size is €35,08. Organic seed potatoes were sold out.

This season there was a lot of oversized seed; no less than 29% fell outside the recommended limit, Agrico reports. € 8,14 was paid for seed potatoes outside the recommended size. These prices are exclusive of VAT. An average of €2,58 per 100 kilos was paid for storage and packaging.

Difficult market
For the monopoly varieties, a further €1,84 per 100 kilos is deducted from the license price. Due to the low price for ware potatoes in Europe, the market very difficult† Despite the decreased export, Agrico still achieved the highest sales ever, and all destinations were served. Last year the average price (for all classes) was €33,43 per 100 kilos.

An average of €53,63 per 100 kilos was paid for the organic seed potatoes. The yields were very good (27 tons per hectare). All the seed potatoes were sold out.

table potatoes
The average pool price for table potatoes is €11,87 per 100 kilos. This concerns size 0/+, unsorted and delivery in week 9. The average balance is €6.506 per hectare.

The pool price for the largest variety Milva is €10,43. The average price for other varieties was higher. For example, the pool price for the Erika variety is €13,11, while the price for the red-skinned Esmee variety is €12,22. Growers of the special variety Cerisa were paid €18,98.

Growing market share
Agrico's sales are mainly aimed at the Dutch fresh market. Due to the fixed agreements, there have been no problems with sales. According to Agrico, the cooperative's market share is growing, partly due to the broad range of varieties.

In the organic potato sector, cultivation went well, because there was less pressure from Phytophthora than in the previous season. This was the case across Europe, putting some pressure on the price. Ultimately, all potatoes were sold as organic potatoes for an average price of €32,57 per 100 kilos (delivered unsorted in week 3).

*Agrico has been using an average price for all seed potatoes supplied in all sizes (28/+), grades A to S for a few years now. This price cannot be compared with the seed potato price that other trading houses publish.

Anne-Jan Doorn

Anne Jan Doorn is an arable expert at Boerenbusiness. He writes about the various arable farming markets and also focuses on the land and energy market.

aj.doorn@boerenbusiness. Nl

© DCA Market Intelligence. This market information is subject to copyright. It is not permitted to reproduce, distribute, disseminate or make the content available to third parties for compensation, in any form, without the express written permission of DCA Market Intelligence.