Potato market chronicle July 2018

The weight of last year’s volumes is still weighing on the start of the new early harvest in Europe. Ripening has been delayed by at least 15 days in southern and western France. Demand for new tubers is strong for ripe produce, and supply is still low. As for the new ware potato harvest, let’s look to the skies in anticipation of a new campaign which, given the hectares planted, looks set to be a major one. We all hope it won’t be a second year of the same thing.
Potato seeds

In France, potato seed plantings are up by around 5%. The multiplication of new varieties is a major factor in these figures. The concentration of players in this market is increasing, with most of them European, and the division of production risk for these companies benefits French plantings. The highest growth rate is attributed to varieties intended for processing (+26%).

Potato exports

For both seed and consumption, our ability to export remains decisive. Eastern European and Mediterranean countries have a young population to feed. These remain a market in which we must consolidate our commercial relations. Looking forward to the new campaign, I wish you all a wonderful summer!