Forecast price of seed potatoes HZPC is falling, but still good

HZPC has set the forecast price for the seed potato growers for the 2020 harvest at € 30,00 per 100 kilos. This is more than 20% lower than the final payment price for 2019. Nevertheless, HZPC speaks of a good forecast price.

Although the forecast price for 2020 is considerably lower than the 2 years before (2018 and 2019), it is more or less in line with the years before. "Last year, the corona crisis had hardly any impact. This year is different and we see that reflected in the price", says Martin Jansen Klomp, regional manager Benelux of HZPC, in a statement. "If we look at the price development of the past 10 years and the current circumstances, we are satisfied with the forecast price of € 30,00 per 100 kilos."

Lower area of ​​chips potatoes
The company gives some reasons why the price is lower. For example, the lower forecast price can be attributed to the decreased sales of the European chips industry due to the lockdowns in many countries, which has an effect on the market for chips potatoes. For the 2021 harvest, the acreage of chips potatoes is therefore lower than planned, HZPC expects. The crisis has little influence on the European fresh market for table potatoes, for example.

HZPC also points out that Algeria has issued an import quota for seed potatoes. Importers are constrained in trade as the country is feeling the effects of the corona crisis in low gas and oil prices. Algeria limits the outflow of hard currency due to the quota, the seed potato company explains. "Algerian customers now import half of what they imported in recent years."

Adjustment pushes forecast price
The forecast price of HZPC is the expected price over the average of all varieties and qualities grown in a pool context in the pot size class S to class A (excluding VAT and payment of the breeder's license). The group adds that from the 2020 harvest, i.e. the current forecast price, the system for custody fees has been adjusted. Growers are also being paid structurally more for storing and storing seed potatoes, HZPC reports. This adjustment reduces the forecast price by approximately € 0,25 per 100 kilos.

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