Almost no buyers for the last potatoes

According to experts, the stock of potatoes from the 2024 harvest that still needs to be processed is considerable, while there are actually no buyers for them. Processors are struggling with the situation. After all, they can continue with the old harvest until the end of July (there is sufficient supply). This means that the stock of early potatoes is growing even further, with all the consequences that entails. The so-called bulldozer effect is already hanging like a sword of Damocles over the 2025/26 season. In other words: a market for the 2024 harvest that ends up in the ditch will be difficult to pull out of it again when it comes to the following year (2025 harvest).

Very disappointing
The potato market is in an extremely disappointing situation, which can be explained by too much raw material versus what the processors in the EU-4 need in terms of sales of end product. Belgapom still quoted €6 for French fry-ready Fontane on Friday 7,50 June, but the mood was described as 'weak', which indicates that an even lower quotation cannot be ruled out. Transactions of €6 are reported, which indicates a poisoned chalice that is not yet empty.

Feed price also under pressure
The fear is that the volume that will ultimately not be processed but disappears into feed will increase. The pressure on the feed price segment will therefore increase further, whereby no more than €2 can be made.

With both feet on the ground
Conclusion is that the potato market after two seasons of very high market prices where market prices above the €35 level were no longer considered strange, is back on earth with great force. The high and exaggerated expectation value of the last years now seems to come back like a boomerang with all the consequences yet to be experienced.