The harvest of early potatoes in Europe got off to an early start. While the planting machines are in full swing in Northwest Europe, new potatoes are already being dug from the ground in Spain, Greece, Poland and Romania, among others. The European season therefore intersects with the supply from North Africa.
Potato growers in Spain have planted approximately the same amount of early potatoes this year as in 2023. According to government figures, this amounts to almost 13.000 hectares. The area of early potatoes has decreased by a third this season. Small growth is expected for medium-early potatoes. It remains to be seen how the late harvest will turn out.
More seed potato exports
If we go by the export figures of Dutch seed potatoes, an overall increase in area can be expected. Nearly 2023 tons of seed potatoes were exported to Spain from the 44.000 harvest year. That is 6,8% more than a year earlier and quite remarkable, given the alleged shortage of seed potatoes this year. This is even the largest seed potato volume since 2016. However, Spanish growers will have to make do with new and unknown varieties more often this year due to the shortage of starting material. The virus pressure is also high after more attacks last year, Spanish growers say.
The growing season has gone somewhat better in Spain this year than last year, when the country went from one extreme to another. The planting season was good, but there was a lot of local precipitation in April. Especially in the region around Seville. This year the new harvest season started about two weeks earlier than usual. Growers are satisfied with the price level, which has risen this month to above €70 per 100 kilos. Other European countries are eager buyers of Spanish potatoes.
Portuguese area is decreasing
In neighboring Portugal, the potato area will decrease this year according to official figures from the statistics office. This amounts to 12.800 hectares compared to 13.500 hectares last year. Dutch seed potato exports to Portugal are also showing a dip. This season, almost 2.500 tons less was exported. A decrease of 16,5%. Less favorable growing weather at the beginning of this year has caused higher disease pressure and a delay in growth.
The early potato harvest in France has yet to get underway. Potatoes are only harvested on the island of Nourmetier. It will take some time before the country itself can meet the needs. In addition to imports from Egypt and Israel, the French are increasingly served with Spanish potatoes. The old harvest of table potatoes is now almost gone.
In Greece, the potato harvest has been going on for a month in the Peloponnese. The area here, of about 2.500 hectares, is decreasing every year due to pressure from potatoes from Egypt, among others. Grower prices are between €50 and €60 per 100 kilos, which is considerably better than a year ago, when the price remained at around €37. Greek traders count on continued good demand from European countries because their own harvest is often sold out earlier.
Price pressure in Poland
The potato harvest in Poland also started at least ten days earlier than average. These are early potatoes covered in plastic, which are mainly grown in the early cultivation area around Poznan. Last week the mercury dropped to -5 degrees locally in Poland at night, but the potatoes were reportedly not affected by frost. Drought is also playing an increasingly important role, especially in southern Poland. No significant rainfall has fallen for almost two months. In Northern Poland it is above average wet again.
With imports from Romania, Cyprus, Egypt and Greece, there is a lot of pressure on the new harvest. The fact that the new potatoes appear earlier than usual is not an advantage. On the Polish trade markets, the price level at the beginning of May was €1,60 to €2,80 per kilo. Double the amount of imported potatoes. This price level is expected to drop quickly now that more domestic volume is coming onto the market, together with the supply from other countries.