Until January, Dutch seed potato exports are still ahead of last year. The African countries in particular have purchased considerably more seed potatoes. Do the European countries follow the same line?
The total export of seed potatoes to the African continent until January amounts to 169.209 tons, according to figures published by the Dutch Potato Organization (NAO). Last year in the same period this was 121.271 tons. The absolute leader is Algeria with 82.765 tons. That is more than 40.000 tons more than last year. Egypt follows at some distance. That country has purchased considerably more seed potatoes than last season, namely 45.728 tons. That is 15.000 tons more than last year. The top 3 is completed by Morocco, which purchased 23.793 tons, 4.000 tons less than in the previous season.
Exports to countries within the EU are slightly ahead, namely 131.909 tons this season compared to 128.628 tons a year earlier. Belgium is the leader with 27.078 tons, which is almost 2.000 tons more than in the same period a year earlier. Italy purchased 23.295 tons through January. That is almost 400 tons more than last year. The countries on the Iberian Peninsula have so far purchased less seed potatoes, Spain 22.295 tons compared to 23.423 tons last year and in Portugal the counter remains stuck at 11.081 tons. That is more than 1.000 tons less than last year. European exports outside the EU show a sharp decline in exports to the United Kingdom. So far this season, 1.546 tons have been exported, compared to 7.118 tons the year before.
Wait and see attitude
Market insiders confirm that buyers in Southern Europe are cautious. "Potato growers in Southern Europe have also had a few difficult years. For their potato sales, they are largely dependent on sales to the catering industry for fresh fries and have few alternatives. Many companies are not going to stop completely. do, they have invested too much in cultivation for that. But a shrinkage in the area is very conceivable," says one of them. "This is partly because there are good alternative crops available. This includes not only wheat, but also sunflowers or corn, for example. At current prices, a very reasonable balance can be achieved with less risk compared to potatoes.
Less seed potatoes were shipped to Asia. Last year at this time the counter stood at 114.760 tons, while this year it remains at 84.850 tons. The countries in the Middle East in particular are purchasing less seed potatoes. Israel stocked up 14.608 tons. A year earlier that was 18.463 tons. The largest declines are in Iraq and Saudi Arabia. So far, these countries have purchased 12.972 tons and 11.137 tons respectively, approximately 7.000 tons less than last season. Seed potato exports to America grew by almost 4.000 tons to 19.113 tons. The additional sales are largely attributable to Cuba, which purchased 11.690 tons compared to 6.833 tons a year earlier.