The import of table and chip potatoes from the European mainland to the United Kingdom has plummeted during the 2019/2020 season. Exports from the Netherlands were hit hardest. And that while the 2019 harvest went anything but well.
British potato import figures between July 2019 and June 2020 show that 1,03 million tonnes of table and chip potatoes were imported. By far the largest part of this comes from 'neighboring countries' Belgium and the Netherlands. They supply 80% of all imported potatoes. This is followed by Germany, Israel and France. This top 5 accounts for 91% of total imports.
Small harvest
This tonnage is 10% lower than 1 season earlier and even a third lower than the average in the previous 3 seasons. That can be called a bit special. Prior to the export season, the sector was concerned about export restrictions after the final Brexit. Ultimately, the withdrawal did not go ahead. The potato sector did experience very difficult developments potato harvest. The country harvested the fourth smallest harvest ever.
It is therefore not surprising that the potato sector thought that the British could make significant inroads into the market. However, that didn't happen. The British government service AHDB attributes this mainly to the fact that the corona crisis threw a spanner in the works from March onwards. This caused exports to almost disappear.
| Country | 2019-2020 metric tons |
vs 2018-2019 |
vs 3 year old average |
| The Netherlands | 417.100 | -36% | -17% |
| Belgium | 406.508 | -28% | 3% |
| Germany | 44.491 | -25% | -9% |
| Israel | 38.666 | -49% | -30% |
| France | 24.247 | -59% | -39% |
38% fewer fries potatoes
Of the total tonnage, this concerns 203.000 tons of table potatoes and 830.900 tons of chip potatoes. The import of French fries potatoes in particular has suffered from corona. The volume is 38% lower than last season. The import of these potatoes in particular fell into decline when the corona crisis hit hard in March.
The Netherlands is hit hardest in absolute tonnes. The British purchased more than 150.000 tons fewer potatoes compared to last season. In percentage terms, however, France's exports fell even more (almost 60%), but this percentage corresponds to 14.300 tons. Belgium was the only one to see its exports grow - compared to the 3-year average. The country enjoys a logistical advantage, because transport costs are lower for imports from Dunkirk or Calais to Dover.
Most exports to Poland
The export of British potatoes is also in the red. Corona is again the cause of this. Between July and June, 400.000 tons were exported, mainly table potatoes. A season earlier that was 675.000 tons. Poland in particular stands out, which bought a lot of British potatoes and thus ended up in the top 5. This country took in almost half of the tonnage. The other countries in the top 5 all recorded a reduction.
Last year the British harvested 5,15 million tons of potatoes. A total of 120.250 hectares of the area (7.000 hectares) remained this spring. Due to the mild winter, this could largely be cleared. AHDB Potato estimates the total area for 2020 at 119.000 hectares, based on the data provided by growers themselves. This means a decrease of 1%.
Above average harvest
If we calculate with the 5-year average yield, the potato harvest in the UK this year will be 5,5 million tons. In a situation like 2018, that is 4,96 million tons. It has also been dry in England, but the climate there is milder than on the continent. Even with increasing potato volumes, the British cannot do without imported potatoes. The country is now heading towards a hard Brexit, which could disrupt the export engine. On the other hand, the chip industry has less need for potatoes, which means there is a good chance that the 2020/2021 season will once again record red figures. It has not yet reached that point because the British harvest remains very unpredictable.