European potato harvest starts faltering

Around May 1, potato growers in southern Italy, Spain, Portugal and also in parts of France start harvesting. This is especially a challenge in the south of Spain, because locally 5 millimeters of precipitation fell in 24 days (and sometimes even within 300 hours). The areas Teruel and Castellón are the hardest hit, but it is also wet in Valencia, Murcia and Alicante. These are areas where many early potatoes come from.

Area decreases slightly
These regions received 200% to 500% more precipitation than normal in April. The figures from the Spanish Ministry of Agriculture show that the area of ​​potatoes (prime and early potatoes) has decreased slightly. The area of ​​early table potatoes in particular has decreased slightly and amounts to 18.000 hectares. However, due to sufficient moisture during the growing season, this has little impact on the total yield.

Potato cultivation has declined, especially in Galicia and Valencia. However, the Murcia area, where most early potatoes can be found, has expanded somewhat. In the north of the country, where late varieties in particular are grown, the area is increasing slightly. Planting is currently being completed there and it is drier than in the south.

What is the price?
Timing is everything for Spanish potato growers. Those who arrive early on the market can benefit from the high prices. Until the harvest starts in full swing, it is difficult to make a price prediction. Do supermarkets in Northwestern Europe accept a high price level? The price of potatoes from Israel is used as a benchmark, with a plus on it. The prices quoted are between €50 and €60 per 100 kilos, although they can be even higher on the local market. Transport costs are an important factor for sales.

Spanish growers have European competition from France and Italy, among others. In the latter country, the early acreage continues to decline, according to government figures, reaching 13.000 hectares. In 10 years, the area has almost halved. Most of these potatoes are grown in Sicily. The decrease is due to wet conditions during planting. Growers also found the scarce seed potatoes too expensive. The price of early potatoes there is now around €80 per 100 kilos. More supply is expected from May, which will put pressure on prices. The supply is currently very thin.

Rain also throws a spanner in the works in the harvesting work in southern Italy. In France, prices for the old harvest continue to rise. In Brittany and on the Nouroutier peninsula, on the coast near Nantes, the first early potatoes are being harvested from cold soil. However, the associated price level does not suit supermarkets. They currently still fill their shelves with the old harvest, or the small amount of imports from North Africa. A new harvest in larger volumes is only expected from mid-May.

Work is left behind
Piet Regnerus from Rema Machinery was in southern Spain at the end of April for the potato harvest. However, harvesting was hardly possible, mainly due to the heavy rainfall. Partly due to the fact that the potato fields are heavily irrigated, the soil quickly becomes saturated. The sandy soil is well-drained, but loam soil plots remain wet for a long time.

"Many plots have to be sprayed to death. Due to 300 millimeters of rain around Alicante, the growers have not been able to do this. They then have to wait 20 days before the potatoes have sufficient skin firmness. The arable farmers would like to enter the market early and that is not possible at the moment. The plots that have already had a foliage kill, they dry up quickly, but covered plots are difficult to dry out. At 30 degrees and a little wind it dries quickly. However, diseases are also lurking."

Export to Belgium
Regnerus will demonstrate their EnvimaxX haulm puller and root cutter, which makes it possible to carry out haulm killing and harvest after a few days. The growers he worked for grow potatoes for the Belgian trading company Pomuni. She transports them to Northern Europe. The potatoes that are not suitable for the table market are processed into, for example, potato croquettes.

The plots of table potatoes that are now being harvested were planted in mid-February. Potatoes are planted again in September, which can then be harvested in December.