Potato processors in Europe continue to face challenges in sourcing raw materials, and the limited supplies they can secure are expensive. As of June 27, 2023, Mintec’s indicative prices for EXW potato processing in the Netherlands amounted to 575 euros per ton, which is 202% more than last year, Fruit-inform reports.
Processing plants are working with contracted material they bought several weeks ago. Market sources said that the summer breaks in processing in the Netherlands are expected to be extended due to the longer than usual gap between the old and new harvest, as the harvest of the bulk of the crop will be delayed.
May data released by the Dutch Processors Association showed that the use of potatoes for processing amounted to 332.9 thousand metric tons, reflecting a decrease of 6.4% compared to the same period last year.
Optimistic estimates
In the June report of the EU Commission, the potato harvest was adjusted by -2% compared to the May forecast but is still expected to increase by 4% compared to the five-year average. However, market sources consider this estimate to be overly optimistic and expect a decline in the harvest due to delays in planting and dry weather conditions in various potato-growing regions in the EU.
Extreme weather conditions shook the European potato industry. Last year was actually the second warmest year in Europe.
European prices for potatoes for processing reached record highs as increased competition from processors for limited non-contracted (free) stocks pushed physical prices up. The Mintec benchmark prices for Dutch processing potatoes on April 18 were estimated at 330.00 euros/t, the highest value since the start of the price series in 2014.
Ireland, through the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), plans to distribute planting potatoes to 10,000 of Ukraine’s most vulnerable farmers in rural areas, including villages on the front line. For this purpose, 450,000 euros are allocated from the budget.
Mark Pavek, a professor and potato specialist at the University of Washington, has proven through years of research that the optimal distance between potato rows in the Columbia River Basin is 76.2-81.28 cm.
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