News potatoes
Avebe's campaign price amounts to €100 per tonne
Royal Avebe announced the campaign price for the 2023 harvest today. This amounts to €100 per tonne. According to CEO David Fousert, the growing season was challenging for growers. In addition, he indicates that the return on starch potato cultivation must be further increased due to rising costs and other matters that influence cultivation.
The campaign price for the 2023 harvest year, the final price that growers receive with a 'standard' starch percentage of 19%, amounts to €100 per tonne of potatoes. That is €5 higher than the previous basic price that was communicated. Last summer, in July 2023, Avebe actually lowered the basic price. This then stood at €105 and was reduced to €95 per tonne. The reason for this was the rapid change in the market perspective, which made sales of end products more difficult and stocks increased. In 2021, the basic price was still €78 per ton of potatoes.
Returns continue to increase
According to Fousert, Royal Avebe continuously strives for the highest possible payment to its farmer members and the return on cultivation must continue to increase. "We are taking the necessary steps in this regard. We are well aware that the return on starch potato cultivation must be further increased due to rising costs, climate change, changed legislation and regulations and competition in the field."
In addition to rising costs, cultivation was also hampered by the weather. The potato planting was later than normal due to the wet spring. This was followed by a season in which all types of weather were encountered, such as drought, a period of heavy rainfall and even frost during the harvest period. Also, not all potatoes were harvested, although this percentage is very low. Fousert: "It is impressive how our members tackled the many challenges of the past growing year. This also had the necessary impact on Avebe."
The starch group's processing campaign came to an end in March and the average starch percentage was 19,5%. That is slightly lower than in other years. The tare percentage was actually higher at 6,2% and this had to do with the wet harvest conditions.
Cultivation 2024/25
The start of the current growing season is starting to look a lot like 2023. Once again, Avebe members are experiencing many challenges at the start due to the wet spring, which means that planting potatoes started later than normal. Regional differences are large, but on average 90% of Avebe's potatoes are already in the ground.
Jesse Torringa
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