The processing rate remains as high as ever. A number of factories are taking a short break around the upcoming holidays, but that is not because of too low sales, but more from the aspect of maintenance and shortage of workers.
The fact that the current sales of end products are going well says little about the first months of 2022. The corona pandemic is still hanging over the market like a dark cloud and who can predict how the coming months will go (whether or not lockdowns, where and to what extent) may say. Due to this uncertainty, the market prices vary from €13,50 to €14 per 100 kilos for Fontane and from €17 to €20 per 100 kilos for Agria and Innovator.
Sell and charge right away
Due to the good sales, many potatoes, often those that are contracted, are pulled forward. Sold yesterday is often loaded and processed within the foreseeable future. Bringing it to the fore, in particular in a cultivation area such as Southeast Brabant, is also reinforced by the quality problems in some cases. In the first weeks of 2022, according to insiders, there will be some supply of potatoes that are not treated with sprout inhibition, but how the period will go after that is still the question. The mood because of corona will certainly also play a role. There will be no need for an imploding market. However, what the stretch to a higher price level will be in the first six months of 2022 remains to be seen.