French processors can boom after record harvest

In the current processing season, up to 1 January, French factories have processed 918.000 tonnes of potatoes into chips and other products. That is a full third more than was processed in the previous season. This increase in production can be partly attributed to Clarebout in Belgium. The effect of the brand new factory in Dunkirk is clearly visible in the French figures.

More hectares, more potatoes
France can count on considerably more potatoes this season. The Ministry of Agriculture is counting on 7,6 million tonnes of potatoes, which is almost 17% more than the five-year average and 11,6% more than was harvested in 2023. This extra production is partly due to a significant increase in area. The area increased by 16%, to 178.000 hectares.

The NEPG is assuming 7,72 million tonnes for the country, according to their preliminary estimate. That is 12,6% more than was harvested in 2023 and 16,2% more than the five-year average. They speak of 170.244 hectares. A growth of 7,3% with 2023.

New record
At the end of January, the French potato organisation CNIPT revised its yield forecast upwards to 7,7 million tonnes of consumption potatoes. That is still 100.000 tonnes more than the Ministry of Agriculture assumes and comparable to the figures of NEPG. The record yield of 2023 has thus improved by 11,6%. The yield is 17% higher than the five-year average and a quarter higher than the ten-year average.

This sharp increase – of 800.000 tonnes – is largely due to the larger area. At 43,1 tonnes per hectare, the average yield was lower than in 2023. The large French fry potato growing areas saw both their area and yield increase considerably. In Nord-Pas de Calais, 2,6 million tonnes were harvested. 8,3% more than a year earlier. In Picardy, this is 2,1 million tonnes. An increase of 5%. In percentage terms, Normandy scores best, with a quarter more potatoes.

Import of French fries potatoes doubled
Between July and December, French factories processed 673.000 tonnes of contract potatoes and purchased 45.000 tonnes of free potatoes, according to data from the trade association GIPT. This means that the free share can be called particularly small, which once again makes it clear how thin the free potato market in Europe has become. What is remarkable is that 200.000 tonnes of potatoes were imported. Almost double the amount from the previous year. Perhaps French growers did not have enough free potatoes or did not want to sell them last autumn, after which the factories went shopping elsewhere.

The majority of these potatoes come from neighbouring Belgium. Last year, the Netherlands supplied a total of 28.000 tonnes (-15,5%) of consumption potatoes (1.052 tonnes in December), according to NAO figures. In 2023, exports amounted to 33.525 tonnes. The fact that the imported potatoes come from Belgium is of course not so strange given the activities of Belgian processors in the country.

1,5 million additional tons required
France is currently the growth country for potato processing. The list of expansions for processing capacity is long, as listed by GIPT. In addition to Clarebout, which will be able to expand again in Dunkirk in the near future, Ecofrost is also building a new factory. Agristo hopes to open the doors of a new factory in Escaudœuvres from spring 2027. McCain is expanding the capacity of its existing French factories. Chip producer Altho is also building a new factory and Lunor, which specialises in chilled potato products, is working on expanding its existing lines. The French Ministry of Agriculture expects that 2027 million tonnes more potatoes will be needed for the 28/1,5 season compared to the current season in order to meet the ambitions of the processors. 

The increase in production has improved the trade balance according to GIPT figures. For example, the country is estimated to import 184.000 tonnes more end product in the current season than it produces. Last season, that was 282.000 tonnes. The financial value has changed due to the higher product prices. Last season, the deficit was €473 million compared to €427 in the previous season.

Less German processing
In Germany, processors have started the current season more quietly. Up until the new year, they have produced 98.000 tons of fries in this processing season, according to data from statistics service Destatis. That is 14.000 tons less or a decrease of 12,5%. Remarkable, because last season also started with a decrease in production, which later recovered. Other potato products were also produced less, such as chips and chilled salad potatoes.

At the end of December, Destatis made a major correction to the area figure. It now stands at 282.200 hectares, which is 7.100 hectares less than previously thought. The difference is mainly in Lower Saxony, where Destatis has cut back 6.000 hectares. The current area is 6,6% more than was cultivated in 2023.

300.000 tons correction
The NEPG assumes 209.000 hectares of consumption potatoes for the country, which means a 9% increase. They calculate with 9,19 million tons of potatoes and that is 11% more than the five-year average. If you calculate the current Destatis figures in the yield, you arrive at 12,4 million tons of potatoes. A decrease of 300.000 tons compared to the estimate that was made in October. At the end of January it should become clear how it exactly is and what the distribution between consumption and starch is.