Belgian potato processor Agristo is the first to launch its potato contracts for the 2025 harvest. The prices, which will remain largely the same, should convey confidence and stability, which should ultimately result in growth in volume and the chain. Growers who can clean and deliver on demand during the off-field period will be rewarded.
The new Agristo potato contract is not really exciting and that is exactly what the company aims for, explains Agro Director Europe Stefanie Dumortier. She takes over from her colleague Steven de Cuyper, who now holds the position of Agro Director International (he focuses on Agristo's international expansion). "By keeping the prices largely the same as 2024/25, we radiate stability to our growers. That is what they need." The Belgian company is also keeping the seed potato prices the same.
Price differentiation
"There are two nuances in the contract for the coming season," Dumortier continues. "The price differentiation between the basic varieties (Fontane) and Challenger and Markies will be €1 instead of €0,50 during the year. The difference with Innovator and the other long varieties will remain €2 for November and €2,50 thereafter." In concrete terms, this means that the off-land season for the main harvest will start in week 38 with €17,50 for Fontane and €19,50 for Innovator. This includes compensation for cleaning. In week 17, the price will be €27,20 and €29,70 for the two varieties. Finally, at the end of June (week 26), this will be €29,60 for Fontane. Agristo will stop with Innovator at the end of May. The price will then be €31,20.
The other nuance is the distinction that Agristo will make from next year between delivery directly from the field onto the truck and delivery via a dumping bin, for sieving the soil. This also applies to the temporary storage of batches in changeable weather during the delivery period. With a difference in the contract prices, it wants to reward growers for this effort.
Harvest earlier
Dumortier: "For Fontane delivered directly, the price is €16,50 throughout October. For cleaned potatoes, which we can call off ourselves, the price will gradually increase in October, from €18 at the beginning of October to €19,50 at the end of the month. We hope that this will also motivate growers to harvest earlier, so that we can anticipate extreme weather conditions if possible. For Innovator, €18,50 will be used in October for those who deliver directly from the field. The new harvest season will start a week later next year, in week 29 (mid-July) instead of week 28, which was the case this year.
"Agristo is consciously focusing on growth in potato volume and growth in the entire chain," explains the Agro Director. "For the coming season, our processing capacity will remain the same, but in 2026, an expansion of the processing in Wielsbeke is planned. In the spring of 2027, the opening of our new factory in Escaudœuvres, near Cambrai, will follow."