2020

Publication author : Frédéric Laviron – Roussineau SA Potato market chronicle september 2020 Toutes les chroniques de marché It’s very difficult to make forecasts in this context of health crisis… But it’s certain that the return of Covid to France and the four corners of Europe is slowing economic activity. Our market is naturally suffering as a result, first and foremost the catering and snacking industries, which have cut their industrial trading activity by at least a third. The first bankruptcies of industrial trading structures in the Benelux countries are a sure sign of more to come. Let’s be cautious and vigilant. Beware of the domino effect, which could well claim collateral victims in the fresh produce market. Against this backdrop, the persistently hot, dry weather is complicating harvesting in the North. The domestic market is quiet, and goods harvested too early are finding it hard to find takers. Back-to-school promotions for unwashed Bintje are keeping supermarkets on their toes. We’re going to have to work hard to get people to admit that Bintje is at the end of its life. With true 7.5s in Beauce becoming increasingly rare as a result of grubbing-up (dartrose, rust, etc.), prices have firmed up slightly in recent days. Have we hit rock bottom? Despite the logistical problems that are always present at this time of year, and which are taking on even greater importance given current potato prices, Spain remains a loyal customer for France. They are always keen to have good batches of washable 7.5s suitable for storage, as well as unwashed Spunta and white-fleshed varieties. Exports to the Gulf States have resumed on schedule. However, against the backdrop of the health crisis, it is difficult to be optimistic about the market for products initially intended for industrial use, which is likely to depress prices for basic products on the fresh market. Again and again, CAT I quality (or color 7.5) will come out on top… But be careful when selecting batches for refrigerated storage!   Télécharger le pdf de la chronique

Publication author: Christelle Denis – SARL D.Vegetables Potato market chronicle November 2020 All market chronicles At the beginning of November, this second confinement feels like a step backwards. Unlike the 1st containment, the consumer buying frenzy has not returned. Export sales are relatively calm, due to normal production levels, particularly in Central Europe; the reconfinement of all our European neighbors is having an impact on our exports, as they are giving priority to their domestic production in the context of this health crisis. Unclear market visibility Quality is not completely up to scratch either; our Spanish customers are very keen on quality 8 ware potatoes and are putting pressure on prices, but most of them are not satisfied with France’s visual quality (dartrose, sprouting…). Market visibility in this context of crisis is rather hazy; we’re sailing in the fog with uncertainties about the reopening of restaurants and bars, which are an important customer for wholesalers! In-store consumption is not very active, and the “promotions” that have been set up mean that the packing centers are working in fits and starts, making it difficult to get organized. Absences are multiplying due to the coronavirus, and this is a new parameter to juggle with! Potatoes adapt to all seasons What’s more, won’t the end of the CIPC force us to reduce the shelf life of ware potatoes? What will happen to quality between now and April? Is this the end of the 10-month smooth marketing of ware potatoes? This will be a year of transition in many respects, but the industry has always shown solidarity and strength in defending the French potato!

Publication author: Yves Le Bouëdec – J. Lévesque SARL Potato market chronicle July 2020 All market chronicles What a year! And what can we say, so many buying habits have been turned upside down by the health crisis the world is undergoing. The state of health emergency ends on July 10, but the economic machine is slowly getting back into gear, while professional meetings have been cancelled. As far as the market for our tuber is concerned, we’re still having to cope with the lack of sales of potatoes for the French fries industry. Our European neighbors The context for early production is different from last year, with supply from our Spanish, Portuguese and Italian neighbors still half that of France. However, supermarkets are keen to source French products that are traceable and less carbon-intensive. While supply remained relatively limited until around July 20, after that, the numerous early plantings in various basins are likely to change the situation. No shortage of potatoes forecast There will probably be no shortage of ware potatoes again this year. With the exception of certain regions in the Hauts-de-France, the weather has been kind to us with plenty of rain. For seed potato production, aphid flights were high in northern France. Purification in the field is necessary. However, some downgrading of plots is to be expected.

Publication author: Silvana Paolozzi – Ets Jacques Albert Potato market chronicle May 2020 All market chronicles The 55 days that changed the potato market… France is experiencing an unprecedented situation with the arrival of the Covid-19 pandemic. Back in February, we hadn’t yet grasped the full impact on the markets. Potatoes were not spared. We were in a downturn market, very calm after 6 months of sales at perfectly acceptable prices. After the confinement announced on March 17, packers had to respond to greater demand from supermarket consumers. In the packing centers, there was a lot of pressure. With absenteeism, rights of withdrawal, irritated drivers, social distancing and truck restrictions, it was difficult to keep up. Upward pressure on prices The agri-food sector has shown itself to be very strong and courageous. There are winners and losers: the demand for fresh produce has driven up prices, while the losers have been the closure of restaurants, fast-food outlets, canteens, factories and cruise ships, leaving potatoes for processing with no outlet other than animal feed or biogas at low prices. The European industry is currently suffering a major loss. The future of the market in limbo After the Easter holidays, the market has calmed down, but there is still a shortage of good-quality products for supermarkets. We should have enough potatoes to bridge the gap with the new ones. Italy has switched to Sicilian potatoes, while Spain has started in certain regions. With the campaign not quite over, we’re still in the dark as to how the market will turn out.

Publication author: Jérôme Bonnier – J B Grains SARL Potato market chronicle March 2020 All market chronicles The potato business is exciting. Well, here we are a year later: “madly exciting”. All the thinking heads eager to shape the plant, with specifications that are sometimes incomprehensible, even irrational, are confined to their homes. The fresh potato market at the beginning of Marchwas completely depressed, close to agony. No sales, no throughput, not a single truck delivered without a dispute. A completely unknown virus brought us back down to earth. Red alert. All standards are forgotten. No more specifications, no more panels. We need potatoes. Stocks run dry. The survival instinct relegates all great maneuvers. The people are hungry and must be fed. It doesn’t matter whether the potato is organic, not organic, medium-sized, pretty or not, the shelves have to be filled at all costs, at the risk of riots. The growers are loading at an insane pace, and the transporters are on their toes. The centers are working 3×8, even to the point of being out of stock: an excellent opportunity to get rid of the potatoes that were supposed to end up unsold. Stocks are being emptied at breakneck speed. Some stocks are either almost empty or will last 2 to 3 weeks at most. The corona virus effect on the potato market The Italians have a ferocious appetite, and the Spaniards have planted a little earlier, so they should start getting potatoes in mid to late April. Israel is starting to arrive in Spain and Italy. Early growers in the south of France planted 3 weeks ago. To date, Brittany has only planted 15% of its early potato area. If all goes well, they should be back on track by week 13. Beauce will start planting in week 15, weather permitting. How long will the coronavirus effect keep potatoes selling? If the current pace continues for another 15 to 20 days, stocks will run dry.

Publication author: Frédéric Laviron – Roussineau SA Potato market chronicle January 2020 All market chronicles Uncertainty is the worst of evils, until reality makes us regret the uncertainty. This is indeed the prevailing feeling at the start of this campaign, as our sales are so different from our forecasts. Didn’t we think that Eastern European countries, with their large production deficits, would come to France to buy at least part of their needs? Didn’t we think that French production, rather below annual averages, would lead the industrial sector to position itself to fill the gap? Didn’t we think we’d have no trouble selling all our production? Nothing, or very little, has turned out to be the case. Studying demand To date, stocks are still very full, and there’s a certain anxiety on everyone’s faces – that famous anxiety born of uncertainty. Admittedly, prices are quite attractive, but for what quality? Exceptional. Warm growing conditions have led to a more rapid ageing of tubers, and the gap between buyers’ demand for quality and the reality of batches is widening, giving way to a certain wait-and-see attitude and a lack of dynamism. The establishment of larger production areas in early-ripening regions, particularly in southern Spain, combined with a strong trend towards “local” consumption, leads me to believe that the campaign will not last as long as the taxes! Nonetheless, demand is there, particularly in Greece and Romania, and we need to consider all requests. A burning new year The new year is sure to be full of hot topics: alternatives to CIPC, more dormant varieties, the discontinuation of insecticides and, more generally, the sanitary quality of our production in view of the pressure of viruses and wireworms… Nevertheless, I join my fellow SNCPT brokers in wishing you an excellent year.