Potato
United Kingdom
UK Growers Welcome Progress on Restoration of Seed Potato Exports
Scottish seed potato exporters will once more be permitted to sell their goods into their traditional Northern Ireland market. The "Windsor Framework," a deal negotiated with the EU, was announced by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on Monday night. Scotland is the source of more than 75% of Britain's potato seed exports, with Scotland sending seed to 18 EU countries in 2020/21. Nevertheless, due to changes in trade laws, Scottish farmers have not been able to export seed potatoes to the Union, including Northern Ireland, since January 2021.
Russia
Potato Import Restrictions Will Help Russian Farmers Prepare for the New Season
By restricting the number of potatoes imported into Russia, domestic producers will be able to sell their leftover potatoes at a fair price and get ready for the coming season. Since enterprise potato stocks are currently quite high, it is not advisable to import a significant quantity of imported potatoes because doing so would impose obligations regarding the number of purchases. In addition, the purchase price of potatoes from chains dropped by 40% in 2023 compared to 2022.
Spain
Spanish Imports of Potato in 2022 Grew by 20% In Volume and 55% In Value
The largest rise in vegetable imports in 2022 in Spain came from potatoes, which accounted for 1MMT of the total vegetable import, at a value of USD 387.51M, representing a 20% YoY increase, and 55% YoY higher in terms of import volume compared to 2021. 56% of the total vegetables imported in 2022 were potatoes.
In Spain, Majorca’s Early Potatoes Could Save British Supermarkets
Potato harvesting has commenced in Sa Pobla as of W9. The first potatoes from Majorca (Balearic Islands, Spain) this year are small and production has also decreased as a result of winds and frosts in January. One of the primary markets, along with Scandinavia, that is supplied by Sa Pobla's agriculture is the British market. Potatoes are grown specifically for this market and are harvested quite early. In 2022 potato exports to the British market amounted to 12,000-13,000MT, whereas in 2021 at 14,200MT and in 2020 16,000MT of potatoes were exported.
Ukraine
FAO Will Purchase Seed Potatoes in Order to Support War-Affected Regions in Ukraine
A tender for the procurement and delivery of potato seeds is being announced by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in order to assist disadvantaged rural households during the spring planting campaign. Sumy, Chernihiv, Donetsk, Kharkiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Zaporizhia, Mykolaiv, Kherson, and Odesa are among the affected cities. There will be a total purchase of 2,600MT of certified potato seeds, which will be delivered in sets of 25 kg each. Potential suppliers may submit bids in this procurement for both the full quantity and for specific batches of the needed seed material.
Kazakhstan
What Prevents Foreign Investors From Setting up Potato Processing in Pavlodar, Kazakhstan
In the Pavlodar region of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the harvest of potatoes far exceeded the population's need in 2022. The local government claims that with such quantities, processing must immediately begin. The realisation of projects is attracting interest from foreign investors, but the processing has not yet been completed. Until now, the distribution of agricultural land has been a problem there, as they are not permitted by law to assign land to foreign business partners.
Morocco
Morocco Stops Exporting Tomatoes and Potatoes to Secure the Markets and Face the High Prices
The export of potatoes, onions, and tomatoes from Morocco to West Africa has been halted at the Guerguerat crossing, which is the country's busiest land border crossing. This indicates that exports to European destinations are controlled by the state, with producers and exporters of fruits and vegetables applying license processes on the quantities approved by the relevant authorities. The Moroccan government is also tending to tighten control over these types of vegetables, which are experiencing an expensive wave and can pass through unofficial channels. Under the context of government initiatives that primarily focus on minimising the wave of high food prices, this is a step that tries to restore price stability before the month of Ramadan.
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan Reduces Both Export and Import of Potatoes in 2022
In 2022, Azerbaijan decreased imports of potatoes by 13% while reducing exports by 15.2%. In 2022, Azerbaijan exported 78,301MT of potatoes worth USD 35M, a drop of 15.2% YoY in export volume from 121,660MT in 2021. The main export was to Russia. In specificity, deliveries of potatoes to the Russian Federation in 2022 were 73,677MT worth USD 33M, a drop of 13% YoY in export volume from 2021. At the same time, Azerbaijan imported 159,725MT of potatoes for USD 41.79M, a decrease of 12.7% YoY in export volume and a 6.6% drop YoY in export value. Iran supplied the majority of the potatoes to Azerbaijan for 41,647MT valued at USD 10.37M, Russia supplied 45,274MT valued at USD 11.39M, and Turkey supplied 31,000MT valued at USD 7.78M.
Sweet Potato
Vietnam
The biggest fruit and vegetable import market of Vietnam, China, formally opened its doors to a wide variety of Vietnamese fruits and vegetables in 2022, which indicates positive prospects for the export potential of fruits and vegetables in 2023, including sweet potato and durian. Several Vietnamese fruits can be sold to important markets in addition to the Chinese market, such as the US, where pomelos are authorised for export.