The United Kingdom has its own distinct potato market, separate from mainland Europe. However, the country is not entirely immune to the situation in the EU-4, and prices are holding steady for the time being. European exporters can draw hope from a high demand for fries.
The consequences of Brexit have not only made trade between the EU and the UK more complex. The country's potato sector is also neglected when it comes to the availability of reliable data. Area and yield data are often much later or even unavailable. The demise of the government agency AHDB Potato has contributed significantly to this.
Area stabilized
In its most recent estimate, the Department for Agriculture (Defra) estimates an area of 99.000 hectares for potatoes this year. This likely refers only to ware potatoes, as the total area in 2024 was 118.000 hectares. Insiders expect the area to have remained stable this year or possibly increased slightly. This brings the total area to around 120.000 hectares, with approximately 100.000 hectares devoted to ware potatoes.
The potato area in the UK has declined for thirteen consecutive years. In 2012, the area devoted to ware potatoes was almost 50.000 hectares larger. A low point was reached in 2023, and cultivation has stabilized in the past two years. It has become a crop for large, professional farms that can make a good living from it. According to Defra, 4 million tons of ware potatoes and 539.000 tons of seed potatoes were harvested last year. Insiders expect a similar volume for 2025, although official figures are lacking. In some growing regions, yields per hectare are significantly higher, but this is not the case everywhere.
Water resources
The 2025 growing season was characterized by drought, particularly during the first half of the year. Average rainfall fell in September and October, but none in the first eight months. Consequently, water reserves were 63,5% full by early November, compared to a multi-year average of 75%. There are significant regional differences, with reservoirs in the south and southwest of the UK only 30% full. This is a major concern for government agencies and farmers for next season. As of November 1, only 61% of this year's average rainfall had fallen. A wet winter is needed to ensure sufficient water supply next year.
The main growing area for table potatoes is in eastern England. It's traditionally dry there, although growers have good irrigation facilities. However, this hasn't helped everyone, as water reservoirs dried up early this season. A combination of early planting dates and plenty of sunshine has ensured that yields here are generally above average. This also applies to Scottish potato growers. The west and south have suffered greater damage due to the drought.
The harvest is now almost complete. The fact that harvesting was delayed due to a shortage of crates and the construction of emergency storage sheds speaks volumes about the size of this year's harvest. Furthermore, buyers collected fewer potatoes, which also did not help the situation.
Higher prices
After two years of extremely high prices, the consequences of reduced acreage and smaller harvests, the current season is a different story. Compared to mainland Europe, the British potato market is still quite stable. This mainly concerns potatoes for sale at the open market. fish & chips-Trade. The most popular Maris Piper variety costs €17 to €19 per 100 kilos for sorted and bagged product. Sagitta is priced between €16 and €19, and Agria and Markies are priced between €22,80 and €25 per 100 kilos. These prices are more than double what is paid for Agria in the Netherlands, for example, with the caveat that this is for sorted product.
Nevertheless, British farmers are feeling the pressure on the market. This is partly due to the domestic harvest and partly due to increased pressure from mainland Europe. Export figures will only reveal whether more potatoes and potato products are crossing the border in a few months. Influencing sentiment is sufficient for now.
At the end of last year, the Netherlands managed to sell a substantial volume of table potatoes to the UK. Between October and December, 8.830 tons of potatoes were exported, compared to 1.772 tons the previous year. In July, 1.500 tons were also exported. It remains to be seen whether potato exports will continue to show good figures in the fourth quarter due to the relatively good harvest in England. The market is currently full, which is creating pressure. If demand arises, it will be primarily for premium varieties like Agria and Innovator.
Market and demand stable
The UK potato market is likely to fluctuate around current levels in the coming weeks, or prices may fall slightly. On the one hand, there is continued pressure due to good availability. On the other hand, growers are struggling with quality issues in some areas, including bruising due to dry harvesting conditions or internal defects. With a market that has its own dynamics, the sector is performing better than on our side of the Channel. Demand for frozen fries remains healthy for the time being. Belgian and Dutch exporters face little competition, provided they remain price-competitive.