The export of seed potatoes showed an increase in the period up to and including 28 February, with a total of 516.173 tonnes, compared to 470.076 tonnes in the same period last year. This is an increase of 9,8%. This increase is in stark contrast to the decrease in the export of ware potatoes, which fell by 11,9%. A total of 471.727 tonnes of ware potatoes were exported, compared to 535.269 tonnes the year before.
This was reported by the Dutch Potato Organisation (NAO). Africa is the region with the strongest growth in terms of seed potato exports. A total of 161.472 tonnes were exported there, an increase of 30.721 tonnes compared to the previous year. The largest buyer in Africa remains Algeria, which increased imports to 86.544 tonnes, an increase of 22.353 tonnes. Egypt also saw a significant increase, from 23.875 tonnes to 31.211 tonnes. Other countries, such as Morocco and Sudan, showed lighter growth.
Seed potato export bmain sales market declines slightly
Europe remains the most important sales market for Dutch seed potatoes with a total export of 239.585 tonnes. This is a slight decrease compared to the 240.831 tonnes in the previous year. However, major differences are visible within Europe. Belgium and Germany, traditionally major buyers, imported less seed potatoes than a year earlier. Exports to Belgium decreased by 30,3% to 22.129 tonnes, while Germany showed an even greater decrease: from 23.061 tonnes to 17.470 tonnes (-24,2%).
In contrast, there was a sharp increase to Turkey, where exports increased by 49,4% to 18.341 tonnes. In addition to Africa, Asia also showed growth in imported seed potatoes from the Netherlands, with a total import of 91.521 tonnes. That is 17,6% more than in the previous year. Iraq and Saudi Arabia in particular showed an increase. Iraq purchased 17.285 tonnes, an increase of 66,3% compared to a year earlier. Saudi Arabia imported 25.359 tonnes, which represents a growth of 39,3%. Exports to North and South America are growing less rapidly than to Africa and Asia, but are still showing an increase. A total of 23.595 tonnes were exported to this continent, an increase of 14% compared to 2023. The biggest increase is Brazil, where imports increased by 47% (from 3.573 tonnes to 5.253 tonnes).
Significant decline in export of consumer potatoes within Europe
Within Europe, there was a significant decline in the export of Dutch consumption potatoes, which decreased from 427.796 tonnes to 361.077 tonnes (-15,6%). The largest decrease was seen in the traditionally large buyers, Belgium and Germany. Belgium saw imports decrease from 287.706 tonnes to 243.185 tonnes, a decrease of 15,5%. Germany experienced an even larger decrease, with a decrease of 33,5%, from 47.461 tonnes to 31.568 tonnes.
In Africa, exports of consumer potatoes showed an upward trend. Exports to the continent rose from 63.075 tonnes to 68.595 tonnes, an increase of 8,8%. This growth was largely driven by a significant increase in exports to Senegal, where exports increased by 23,5%, from 25.064 tonnes to 30.950 tonnes. On the other hand, exports to Ivory Coast, also a major African importer of Dutch consumer potatoes, remained relatively stable. Here, imports decreased by 490 tonnes. Exports to America showed a smaller decrease of 5,8%, from 44.284 tonnes to 41.697 tonnes. Trinidad and Tobago, the largest buyer on this continent, purchased 23,8% less, 8.715 tonnes instead of 11.435 tonnes. The Dominican Republic, on the other hand, showed a strong increase of 35%, from 4.281 tonnes to 5.781 tonnes.