Dutch exports of table and industrial potatoes to EU countries were higher in September than last year. Germany and France, in particular, purchased more potatoes from the Netherlands.
Total Dutch potato exports to EU countries amounted to 32.358 tons in September, according to figures from the Dutch Potato Organisation. This amount is higher than last year, but significantly lower than in previous years.
The latter is due to lower demand in Belgium. Belgium often accounts for a demand of 25.000 to 35.000 tons in September, but this year the figure has already reached 18.564 tons.
If Belgium drops out, there's little left for Dutch exporters to do. In that light, it's a bonus that France and Germany bought a decent amount last month. The Germans, at 6.384 tons, purchased the largest quantity after Belgium.
Striking
The increased sales to Germany and France are all the more striking because both countries are enjoying record harvests. Last year, Germans bought barely 700 tons from the Netherlands in September. This year, France is buying 4.326 tons, more than double the amount it bought last year. Malta, Spain, and Romania have also imported more potatoes from the Netherlands.
Among African countries, Ivory Coast and Mali also bought more potatoes than a year ago. However, sales to Senegal are much lower. This West African country prefers onions and, despite significantly lower prices, is taking fewer potatoes. As a result, sales to Africa are down by more than a third compared to last year.
All in all, the Netherlands exported nearly 46.000 tons of potatoes last month. That's a fraction more than last year, but normally exports easily exceed 60.000 tons.