The disappointing quality of potatoes in Europe due to a wet growing season and moderate harvest conditions means that new potatoes arrive earlier than usual. But the growing season in Israel is not going by the book either.
At least that is expected by the Israeli potato supplier Atzmona, according to the news site Potato News Today. Last summer's heavy rain and flooding in Belgium, Germany, France and the Netherlands had a negative impact on the European potato harvest. Israeli growers and traders expect that, partly because of this, demand for potatoes from Europe will start earlier than normal. “We felt the need to respond to the wishes of our customers and bring the season forward,” says Eitan Botzer, director of Atzmona. "This season presents the necessary challenges due to a combination of weather extremes."
Frost to the ground
He is referring, among other things, to frost on the ground in January in the south of Israel, the most important growing area for early potatoes. After two days the damage to the potato leaves was visible. The plants therefore put too much energy into preserving the tubers that have already been made and not enough into restoring the foliage apparatus to restart growth. The cold almost certainly has consequences for the size and total yield per hectare of early Israeli potatoes. According to Botzer, customers are busy calculating with product in storage, demand and the period that still needs to be covered. "The logistical challenges provide an additional obstacle to quickly responding to the wishes of European customers."