The German potato acreage this season will remain almost the same as in 2021, according to Destatis figures. There is, however, a clear shift towards growing more chips potatoes.
According to the provisional figures from Destatis, the German potato area increased by 0,2% to 258.700 hectares. The area therefore remains virtually the same as last season, when the area was 258.300 hectares. Earlier this season it was expected that the acreage would take another step back, just as it shrank by almost 6% last season.
Differences between federal states are minimal
The federal state of Lower Saxony accounts for more than 45% of the area, 118.800 hectares. In this region the area increased by 3,1%. The largest increase was in Hesse, a relatively small potato region. There the area increased by 7,1% to 4.500 hectares. The largest decrease was in Saxony-Anhalt with 6,6% from 13.700 to 12.800 hectares. Other relatively large potato areas are Bayern and North Rhine-Westphalia. In Bayern the area amounts to 37.100 due to a 5,1% decrease and North Rhine-Westphalia sees the area increase by 1,1% to 37.600 hectares.
Potato development is ahead
Potato planting went well this season, just like in the rest of Western Europe. Due to the absence of low temperatures, the initial development was good and undisturbed. However, concerns about drought started to increase, but a fair amount of precipitation has now fallen in Germany, depending on the federal state. In Lower Saxony, the largest potato area, an average of between 50 and 70 millimeters fell. Normal monthly precipitation also fell in Bavaria.
The development of potatoes is therefore continuing smoothly, says Ferdi Buffen, director of the Weuthen potato trading house Boerenbusiness. "Due to the precipitation, the current growing conditions are very good. But for this to apply in the long term, there still needs to be serious precipitation. Nature's potato development is about ten days ahead of normal."
Expansion of fries potatoes
According to Buffen, there are no clear indications that the area in the main harvest is increasing. If there is a small increase in area, it is a very small one in early potato cultivation. But just like other countries in Western Europe, the shift from table and starch to chip potatoes is clearly visible in Germany. There is also uncertainty about the seed potato area in the future. This season was reasonably successful, but seed potato trading companies are finding it increasingly difficult to sell their acreage to seed potato growers, Buffen knows. "They are losing seed potato growers to the chip industry with the current prices. They want to get rid of small packaging, extra logistics and paperwork. A lot will depend on what prices will be this season."