In the Netherlands, consumption potatoes are being grown on over 83.100 hectares this year. This is 8,6 percent more than last year and the highest area in 25 years. Arable farmers have also planted more seed potatoes and starch potatoes.
The total area of arable crops has grown by 3,1% this year compared to 2024 to almost 547.000 hectares. According to the CBS inventory, the total area of potatoes amounts to 164.400 hectares, almost 6,3% more than over the 2024 harvest. Net, 9.700 hectares more potatoes were planted.
Highest area since the beginning of this century
The area of consumption potatoes in 2025 will be 83.100 hectares, 8,6% more than last year. The last time the area exceeded 80.000 hectares, 87.400 hectares to be precise, was in the year 2000. These preliminary results are higher than what insiders in the French fry potato sector expected. Growers will also be looking at these figures with some gritted teeth, since the market for free potatoes has been on its last legs for some time now and there seems to be little change in that direction for the time being.
More than half of the Dutch potato area is accounted for by consumption potatoes. This is the collective name for potatoes intended for chips, table potatoes, salads and flakes. The share of chips potatoes is by far the largest within this consumption group. CBS does not measure these segments separately in area.
Seed potatoes and starch also grow
The area of seed potatoes and the area of starch potatoes in the Netherlands are also increasing. According to figures from Statistics Netherlands, the area of seed potatoes is growing by 5,9% to 41.900 hectares. It should be noted that this figure deviates slightly from the figures published by the Dutch General Inspection Service (NAK) at the beginning of June. These show that a total of 41.185 hectares of seed potatoes have been declared for inspection by growers, 7% more than for the 2024 harvest.
Of all potatoes grown in the Netherlands, the share of starch potatoes is decreasing. Less than a quarter of potatoes are starch potatoes, reports the CBS. This fluctuated around 30 percent for years. The area of starch potatoes will grow to 39.400 hectares this growing season, 1,9% more than last year.