The German statistical office Destatis has presented a first estimate of the potato area for harvest year 2019. In that estimate, it expects the German potato area...
Just like in the surrounding countries, the potato area is growing for the third season in a row. This means that price movements depend largely on the development of the crops during the growing season. That is the most important factor every year. Last season, the European potato area also increased, despite the disastrous 2017 harvest year (from a price point of view). The drought also created a completely different market.
After the potato area in Germany showed a considerable decline in the first 10 years of the century, an increase has been visible again in recent years. While 2015 hectares were planted in the 237.000 harvest year, this increased to 2017 hectares in 251.000.
Lower Saxony shows growth spurt
A growth spurt in the area is expected in the largest potato state of Lower Saxony. Destatis expects the area to increase by 4.000 hectares. In the second largest potato state of Bayern, the area is also growing slightly (+1 hectares), after years of decline.
It is expected that the figures from statistics agency Destatis will become more definitive by mid-July.