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Will EU potato prices break records amid bad weather and seed problems? • EastFruit

According to EastFruit, potato farmers in key EU countries such as Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium are continuing to lower their yield forecasts. This trend could lead to record prices for both table potatoes and potatoes for the production of frozen French fries.

Farmers report that the extremely unfavourable weather conditions of 2023, characterised by a hot and dry summer and a very rainy autumn, have significantly affected the quality of table potatoes. Seed potatoes were also affected. In 2024, farmers who received seed potatoes for processing under contracts found that these seeds had a lower yield potential than usual. As a result, many processors had to revise their contractual delivery commitments downwards.

Read also: Potato prices continue to rise in Ukraine

Adverse weather conditions will continue to pose a challenge in 2024. In northern EU countries, particularly Belgium and the Netherlands, farmers have been forced to postpone potato sowing, which will likely result in a delayed harvest. In addition, potato fields are more affected than usual by late blight and other diseases and pests. This has already caused market tensions, with prices currently at historic highs.

Although the European Commission is continuously revising the EU potato yield forecast downwards, yields are still expected to be close to the average values ​​of the last five years. However, to stabilise the market and bring prices down to a more acceptable level, our rough estimates suggest that EU potato production would need to be around 3-5% higher.

Eastern fruit

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