Potato processing has remained under significant pressure since the turn of the year. The sale of Dutch potatoes, in particular, is faltering. Read more about the processing and origin of potatoes.
The trend adopted by processors since the turn of the year thus remains intact. In January, processing was 16% lower than in 2025, while in February the difference was 14%. This decline is relatively limited. The biggest change lies in the origin of the raw material.
In March, 105.200 tonnes of potatoes came from abroad. That is 9% less than a year earlier, according to corrected figures from the Vavi. Initially, the Vavi released figures showing that more imported potatoes had been processed.
The processing of Dutch potatoes fell by 15% to 196.600 tonnes. Normally, the share of Dutch potatoes increases to over 60% in the second half of the season. That is not the case this year. In March, less than 60% of the potatoes supplied were of Dutch origin.
Production of pre-baked products fell by 10% last month to 145.800 tonnes. Growth is visible in other products, however. After a sharp decline in January, production recovered in February, after which this increase continued in March. Compared to 2025, 4,2% more other products have been produced.
The decline in total production thus amounts to 8% in March. In the first two months of 2026, this decline was around 11%.