The Aviko pool land price remains stuck at 25 euros per tonne

Potato growers are facing a historically low farm gate price for French fry potatoes this season. According to the ATC, a situation has never before occurred where it was impossible to sell free potatoes at reasonable prices throughout the entire season. "The result is disappointing, but given the market's complete imbalance, it's not entirely unexpected," adds ATC chairman André Broeze.

Great contrasts
The 2025 growing year is a year of stark contrasts. The European potato acreage has expanded significantly, yields per hectare are high, growing conditions were good, and the harvest was brisk. Demand for fries and other potato products stagnated, resulting in fewer potatoes being needed and putting severe pressure on prices. "The large potato surplus has led to a challenging market, severely depressing the ATC's pool result and resulting in an exceptionally low farmgate pool price."

The pool price therefore lags far behind contract prices. "Over the past three harvest years, the ATC achieved an average result of €229 per tonne, approximately 40% higher than the fixed price contract ex-field. This harvest year, however, seems like the perfect storm: 10% more European potato acreage, 15% higher yields, and no sales opportunities. Factories are full of contract potatoes and are actually producing less because the export of fries is under pressure," explains Dick Zelhorst, Director of Agro & Supply at Aviko.

Sales to flakes, starch and feed
As a result, there were insufficient sales of pool potatoes for French fry production. Some had to be sold for flakes or starch. Even that wasn't enough, so some ended up in feed. "This unfortunately resulted in a historically low pool price," Zelhorst observes.

For Innovator and Agria, the pool price in weeks 35 through 44 is €40,41 per tonne. The price for Zorba is €10 per tonne lower. The price for the other varieties is another €10 lower, at €20,41 per tonne.