2022

Publication author : Silvana Paolozzi – Ets Jacques Albert Potato market chronicle may 2022 Toutes les chroniques de marché In this campaign, under the spectre of war, which seems to have put the brakes on sales, industrial demand has nevertheless remained very firm on the market. After the great calm of the first quarter, dynamism has finally returned, with a good flow of business in Eastern Europe, Spain and Germany. Following on from the end of the campaign, the market remains active, with Italy seemingly showing more interest towards the end. Unfortunately, we’re scraping the bottom of the barrel, but the quality is no longer there, and good-quality batches of potatoes are becoming scarce. Prices are on the rise due to the scarcity of the product, but it’s important to realize that prices haven’t really taken off this season; the main reason for this is the level of quality, which no longer corresponds to certain markets that have become increasingly demanding. Forecasts for the new campaign are a little more optimistic: NEPG is indicating a drop in plantings of around 10%, not to mention the fact that the war in Ukraine may hold some surprises in store. And then there’s the big suspense, “the drought”, which is lurking and worrying us, as some départements are already on alert with a spring without any winter reserves to help combat it. The year is thus shaping up to be one of major upheavals and challenges for some, in view of energy increases and the political, economic and climatic situation. Télécharger le pdf de la chronique

Publication author : Jérôme Bonnier – J B Grains SARL Potato market chronicle march 2022 Toutes les chroniques de marché rofessionals have to reinvent themselves every year: there was covid, then telecommuting, Brexit, Israel’s year of land rest, and now the conflict in Ukraine. With all these disruptions, the industry is finding it hard to regain momentum. The conflict in Ukraine is raising awareness that our globalized profit model, advocated by the giants, can collapse at the snap of a finger. Raw materials, gas, wood, grain, oil, inputs, seeds… many of the materials essential to our equilibrium pass through or come from this country. Our economic model of cheap supplies is collapsing. Growers are faced with a major economic choice for the survival of their farms: produce vegetables that require labor (difficult to find), equipment, time and energy for production and processing, or switch to well-remunerated cereals. For some, the choice was quickly made, with industrial potatoes and grain. Thanks to higher prices, simpler storage conditions and more flexible quality criteria, the area dedicated to industry is increasing, while that dedicated to the fresh market is likely to decrease. With the quality requirements of this market becoming ever more stringent and less profitable, it’s not impossible that supply will shrink, leading to a more sustained, if not very sustained, market price. In the meantime, supermarket sales are stagnating or declining, our Spanish and Italian customers are importing less, and Italy is increasing slightly… It remains to be seen what impact the cost of fuel will have on these destinations. If the Ukrainians don’t sow potatoes or onions, let alone sunflowers, our whole model could be seriously challenged into question. Planting of French early vegetables is underway. The first Breton plants should arrive around June 1. There are also reports of plantings in Beauce in mid-March. Let’s be positive: people, whether displaced or not, will have to be fed, and potatoes are still part of the staple diet. In view of these changes, it’s going to be a real struggle to find potatoes on the open market next season. Télécharger le pdf de la chronique

Publication author: Jean-Marc Storper – SARL Maison Mendel Potato market chronicle december 2022 All market chronicles Here it is, the year of drought that reminds us of the famous year 1976. The revenge of irrigators, who seem to be doing rather well, on non-irrigators who are seeing their yields shrink, depending on the region and rainfall. And then there’s the galloping inflation of all inputs, plant protection products, equipment, etc., and ever longer lead times. And as if that weren’t enough, an unprecedented energy crisis is hitting packing stationspackaging stations and, above all, industry. Against this backdrop, prices are historically high for a harvest period, especially for versatile and fritable 7.5s from Beauce,Champagne or Picardie, with sizes that will be in demand throughout the year. Yields are lower, but growers have room in their fridges. Confident in the market, they delay sales, hoping for America. But happiness is not always around the corner!And the higher the prices, the lower the expected profits after storage. Prudence… Prices that are too high often attract outsiders and massive imports, as in a certain year 76…Will industry be able to pass on its costs? Will we have enough energy this winter? And will we or won’t we have a real winter? It’s hard to predict how the market will evolve in this unprecedented context. A word of advice: above all, select your buyers, who, given the sums involved, need to be as solvent as possible. That remains the sinews of war!Have a great season!

Publication author: Frédéric Laviron – Roussineau SA Potato market chronicle January 2022 All market chronicles One thing is certain: French fresh potato production was, in terms of volume, correct. With this in mind, we’re all familiar with the adage: “Before Christmas, I can sell potatoes; after Christmas, I have to sell potatoes”. The industry’s responsiveness? While we can be pleased with the industry’s responsiveness in meeting the expectations of the new clientele in Eastern Europe, the fact remains that we are still short of our volumes on our traditional markets and partners on the Iberian Peninsula, demanding high tuber quality in a context of falling consumption. Of course, export volumes are buoyant, and I expect this to continue over the coming months in the East, as we await the opening of new markets such as Poland and the Czech Republic, unless the early potatoes from Greece, Egypt, Israel and, of course, Spain put a serious brake on our momentum. Don’t relax your efforts for the next harvest No, my main concern is that we shouldn’t relax our efforts, and that the outlook for the next harvest is hypothetical. Looking at recent years, we can see that demand is concentrated on high-quality, washable products and that, barring climatic incidents (as is the case this year in the East), we are reduced to producing, processing and selling only this type of quality and product.and products.What about a second-rate product? Many farmers today are wondering whether they should switch all or part of their acreage to more profitable or more reliable crops such as cereals, corn and, of course, processing potatoes. The technical constraints weighing on production, the difficulty of keeping potatoes in the fridge, the growing number of certifications, the demand for quality… all these factors combine to bring about a profound change in the face of future production at every level of the industry.