The first early potatoes from Germany have been harvested in the state of Lower Saxony. The European market for table potatoes is stable. The supply of new, early potatoes is scarce in some regions, which has an impact on the price.
Together with the Palatinate region, Lower Saxony is the most important growing area in Germany for new potatoes. The light sandy soil in the region warms up quickly. The growers in Burgdorfer Land, northeast of Hannover, were the earliest to arrive this year, Proplanta reports. The harvested new potatoes were grown on a wind-favorable slope under fleece cloth. Due to their short shelf life, the potatoes are mainly sold regionally.
Due to the corona crisis, the demand for table potatoes increased significantly in March. Partly as a result, stocks are drying up throughout Europe, paving the way for early, new supply. Market analysts report that Egypt as an exporting country in particular benefits from this. But the very early supply is also coming slowly from Europe.
Less from Spain and Italy
It previously appeared that the Spanish harvest has suffered a slight delay and that this is expected from Spain fewer early potatoes be exported. Yields of early potatoes are also below average in the south of Italy. Rainfall, little sun, cold and even frost plagued the growing season and the crop. This results in less supply and quality differences.
As a result, growers in Italy receive high prices for ex-potatoes, ranging from €38 per 100 kilos for small potatoes to €65 per 100 kilos for good quality. In the Naples region, the very early potato harvest would even be 30 to 40% lower than last year. This results in unusually high prices for the region: €40 per 100 kilos.
Wholesale benefits
Some scarcity in supply in combination with good demand explains the optimism in the table potato market. In contrast to French fries production, the market is fairly stable. Sales of table potatoes through wholesalers in particular are benefiting from the corona crisis. Now that the European supply is slowly growing, the question is how long the relatively high prices will last.