A battered Spanish potato harvest has started cautiously. After a period of frost it became dry in Spain and it still is. This means that the yields of early potatoes in the country are considerably lower. The price is therefore at a high level.
Normally the harvest of early potatoes on the Spanish mainland starts at the beginning of April. This year it is about two weeks later. frost damage has delayed the harvest in Murcia and Cartagena. Revenues are approximately one third lower than average. The price partly compensates for that. This is now approximately €60 per 100 kilos, compared to €50 last year. Due to the extra costs for irrigation, growers are losing €10.000 to €11.000 hectares, reports farmers' organization COAG.
Extreme drought
From this spring it has become dry and warm in Spain. The heat reaches its peak at the end of April. Temperatures in Andalusia even reach 40 degrees. That is not unusual in Spain, but it is for the month of April. 60% of the agricultural area is affected by drought damage. Half of all grain crops have been affected, according to the agriculture ministry. That is good for 3,5 million hectares.
After a soaking wet winter, the agricultural sector in the country cautiously breathed a sigh of relief. Moisture reserves could thus be replenished. Currently, according to official figures, only 50% of the total water reserve capacity is available. In some regions, such as Andalusia, this is only 37%. Potato crops are also affected by the hot and dry weather. There is not enough water for irrigation. The harvest time is postponed by growers to give crops the opportunity to produce kilos.
Record price
Most potatoes are grown in northern Castile and León, above Madrid. There, planting was completed in record time due to dry weather. The drought still has limited impact, although growers sometimes choose other varieties that require fewer growing days. Meanwhile, the potato price for old harvest has increased all-time record achieved according to figures from the Spanish Ministry of Agriculture. Growers were paid €65,63 at the beginning of April.
The early potato market, which cannot be served by Spain, is being filled by other countries. These are mainly Egypt and Israel. Malta also has fewer potatoes that the country can export due to frost damage. The quality of Egyptian potatoes varies. The current warm weather also affects neighboring country Portugal. Potato prices there are much higher than in Spain, but they mainly concern small lots from non-professional growers.
Pulling stock
This spring, Spanish buyers are already active in other countries to buy potatoes. For example in France. There too, stocks are small and prices high. In the Netherlands we notice a lot less of the situation in Southern Europe. The market for premium Agria potatoes and similar varieties can benefit from this. The chip industry in the Netherlands and Belgium is also a buyer of these potatoes. They don't let any product slip through their hands, especially now that it appears that every potato is needed to complete the old season.