Final spurt on potato market gives wing to Q-potato pool

The average pool price without pre-sales is €32,73 per 100 kilos. Agria is the largest variety in the pool and the price is €34 at Q-potato. Marquis does €33,75 Innovator €33,25 and Fontane €30,75. "The average result for our growers is €16.000 per hectare, a result we are proud of," says Dirk van de Water, responsible for the purchase and sale of consumption potatoes at Q-potato. "We did not anticipate that it would be so spectacular at the end of the season, but that ultimately made a significant contribution to the pool result." The growers' association has chosen that this result applies to the entire pool period from November to July. The retention scale for the pool is equal to that of the fixed price contracts. "The storage fee must cover the extra costs that growers incur to store the potatoes for longer. Nothing more and nothing less," says Van de Water.

Security is not free
Looking ahead to the new season, Van de Water is positive. "There is a considerable gap between the old and new harvest. The old harvest is finished weeks earlier, while the new ones are finished just two weeks later. The growing season has been mediocre so far, but the months of July, August and September are decisive for the final yield. It will no longer be a real top harvest, while the demand for potatoes from the industry is high." The processing industry went to the farm last winter with relatively high contract prices and growers have secured many potatoes. According to Van de Water, this is a false sense of security that the grower buys. "If you want to hedge risks and buy security in the form of contracts, you have to pay a premium. Over the past ten years, our pool has performed on average €3 above fixed price contracts. That is €1.500 per hectare with an average yield. the grower can earn without extra effort. When purchasing fertilizer or diesel, for example, different growers are much more careful than when selling their potatoes. This season too, delivery from the field will most likely start above the contract price and you should not be surprised. if the daily price remains above the contract price throughout the season."