Market chronicles

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 : 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: David Storper – Maison mendel Potato market chronicle december 2023 All market chronicles The year is off to a flying start in terms of prices! We’re starting to get used to it… A logical downward trend is underway, with supply increasing by the day. Harvesting in the North is behind schedule, particularly for fritables, due to late planting and unfavorable weather conditions in the fields. Boosted export demand seems to be overshadowing French consumption, which is struggling to get off the ground,due to the impact of inflation. Prices for firm white meats are struggling to come down. Demand remains strong. For firm red meats, market supply and demand are virtually non-existent. As fryers eat away at acreage, this trend may mean higher prices in the future for producers, who are still subject to more technical and normative constraints. Quality problems, such as mildew and pythium, are nevertheless reported in Germany, Holland and Belgium. A few disparate outbreaks are reported in France. Exports are on the up. Since the beginning of September, Italy and Spain have been on the offensive earlier than usual for washable products, due to climatic problems affecting the harvest. Italian buyers made their presence felt at Potato Europe. This external demand and rising fixed costs may augur well for a higher-priced market in the medium term. In the short term, however, price trends remain uncertain. It’s hard for supermarkets to reach their consumers with attractive prices in these conditions! There’s no doubt that Fruit Attraction is an opportunity for the potato family to position itself on a market that still has limited visibility in view of the grubbing-up that’s still going on. For the time being, growers are filling their stockpiles and selling only when the opportunity arises. We wish you all a good season,See you at the autumn trade shows.

meeting : David Storper, jeune courtier de la Maison Mendel Potato market chronicle November 2023 (2) All market chronicles David Storper has taken over from his father Jean-Marc Storper at the head of Maison Mendel, accompanied by his two team-mates. The young manager, who is diversifying his business, began his training as a sworn broker. He had joined his father’s potato brokerage company, Jean-Marc Storper aka “Marco”, 3 years earlier, when the latter was struck down by an illness that claimed his life in less than a year, on February 11. David Storper, 29, did not hesitate to take up the family torch, the fourth generation of a family of brokers based in Nîmes, who have moved from international grain transactions to potatoes and condiments. We caught up with France’s youngest potato broker as he walked the aisles of Madrid’s Fruit Attraction trade show with his sales manager Sylvie Pomarès, who works the Iberian market. They are supported by Ana, who has worked at Maison Mendel for over 20 years. “We generate 70% of our sales on the domestic market and almost 30% on export, with Spain as our main partner”, explains David Storper. The import-export business is an important part of the brokerage’s work, as France is a major producer and consumer country. The broker has a key role to play between distant parties who don’t necessarily know each other well. Knowledge and trust are his two watchwords: he must always be well informed about the market and its customers, and build and maintain relationships of trust with buyers and sellers alike. “We buy in Spain in June and July, from large structures in the south and in the Rioja region. Then we sell French products to Spaniards for the rest of the year. Our added value is to bring in new ideas, new outlets, we act as intermediaries between operators who have lost touch but still need to work together,” explains David Storper. He adds that the broker can intervene effectively as soon as there’s an imbalance somewhere, whether one of the parties is looking to buy or sell. “We work with a fixed commission on the tonnage sold,” he explains. Based in the Gard region, Maison Mendel is naturally close to the early potato crops of the Camargue, Marmande and Charentes regions. It also handles transport, although it’s the partners who give the orders. In season, the team works all over France, from Beauce to the North, via Normandy and Brittany. Generally speaking, David Storper sees industry as a threat to the fresh produce market. “Fortunately, our business is diversified and we’re maintaining the volumes we work with,” he points out. In particular, he is looking after the onion business, which used to account for just 1% of sales, but is now approaching 10%. He is also developing the organic side of the business, which is currently suffering and which he hopes will take off again in a healthier market. David Storper adds: “Maison Mendel monitors each deal from A to Z, from contract execution to payment. We remain vigilant about the customer’s financial soundness, and if necessary, we ask for pre-payments.” A member of the SNCPT and involved in the preparation of quotations sent to the CNIPT every week, David Storper has announced that he is starting his training to become a sworn broker, as his father was. “Our values are trust, respect for all parties and confidentiality. They can only be established through long-term work,” he asserts.

Publication author: Christelle Denis – SARL D.Vegetables Potato market chronicle November 2023 All market chronicles What a strange start to the campaign! We were aware that the harvest was going to drag on for a long time, given the delays in planting in certain regions during the spring, and the complicated dethatching, but the end of the harvest, particularly in northern France and northern Europe (Belgium, Netherlands), is far from in sight. In November, torrential rain flooded entire plots of land; will it be possible to harvest these fields when the risk of frost looms in the near future? The French market has been sluggish up to now, but packers have had no visibility and are finding it hard to meet demand! The export market has been buoyant since August, particularly in Italy and Spain, which has had the effect of maintaining sustained prices. We can already focus on the state of stocks and quality: it’s worth noting that in view of the increases (energy, packaging, labor) and attractive prices, growers are speculating little and selling as soon as possible; some fridges are already almost empty. Quality is average, with mainly visual defects (scab, dartrose…) and sizes are mainly towards the top of the basket; few small sizes will be available for fresh and processed. As far as the industry is concerned, it is to be hoped that the Benelux countries will be able to grub up what remains in the ground; if not, prices will come under considerable pressure throughout this campaign, which may well be shorter than usual. Similarly, with geopolitical tensions in Israel, will this region of the world be able to plant the plants sent for harvest in the spring of 2024? A strange start to a campaign with an uncertain future for the 2023-24 season!

Publication author: David Storper – Maison Mendel Potato market chronicle September 2023 All market chronicles A very busy start to the yearin terms of prices! We’re starting to get used to it… A logical downward trend is underway, with supply increasing by the day. Harvesting in the North is behind schedule, particularly for fritables, due to late planting and unfavorable weather conditions in the fields. Boosted export demand seems to be overshadowing French consumption, which is struggling to get off the ground due to high inflation. Prices for firm white meats are struggling to come down. Demand remains strong. For firm red meats, market supply and demand are virtually non-existent. With fryers nibbling away at acreage, this trend may augur higherhigher prices for producers, who are still subject to more technical and normative constraints. Quality problems, such as mildew and pythium, are nevertheless reported in Germany, Holland and Belgium. A few disparate outbreaks are reported in France. Exports are on the up. Since the beginning of September, Italy and Spain have been on the offensive earlier than usual for washable products, due toclimatic problems that have affected harvests. Italian buyers made their presence felt at Potato Europe. This external demand and rising fixed costs may augur well for a higher-priced market in the medium term. In the short term, howeverprice trends remain uncertain. It’s hard for supermarkets to reach their consumers with attractive prices in these conditions! There’s no doubt that Fruit Attraction is an opportunity for the potato family to position itself on a market that still has limited visibility in view of the grubbing-up that’s still going on. For the time being, growers are filling their stockpiles and selling only when the opportunity arises. We wish you all a good season,See you at the autumn trade shows.

Publication author: Yves Le Bouëdec – J. Lévesque SARL Potato market chronicle July 2023 All market chronicles At the end of the campaign, there have been no volumes left in good quality since the end of April. New harvests are expected, and when they are available, they are sold at good prices, especially as our European neighbors are expecting lower yields. Decidedly, one year follows another, but no two are alike in this business. This year’s highlight is the demand for processing potatoes, particularly for fritables in the Hauts-de-France region. This increase in plantings is disrupting the usual production patterns, for both seed and fresh potatoes. This year, planting was delayed until late May or even early June, particularly in the northern part of the region. Rainfall, followed by a dry climate with easterly winds, contributed to irregular emergence. High temperatures combined with a lack of water disrupted tuberization. Beware of bolting! Our world is changing, and we’re becoming aware of it… For the plant, the situation is complicated: dealing with current emergence problems, and ensuring a new, high-quality harvest. At present, it’s still difficult to predict harvest levels. Let’s keep things in perspective, because, as Boileau said: “often the fear of an evil leads us into a worse one”. Have a good summer.

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!