Netherlands: Seed potatoes in a pinch due to high contract prices

Published 2023년 3월 22일

Tridge summary

The potato processing industry in Northwest Europe, including the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, and France, has raised contract prices for the upcoming crop year, leading to changes in potato cultivation. The NEPG reports that the area for seed potatoes could significantly decrease, potentially impacting the availability of seed potatoes in 2024. The free potato stock is also decreasing, with the Netherlands having 13% less than the previous season and 20% less than the five-year average. The increase in contract prices is affecting the cultivation of table and starch potatoes, as well as seed potatoes, and there is pressure on the profitability of seed potato cultivation due to legal restrictions on plant protection products.

Disclaimer:The above summary was generated by Tridge's proprietary AI model for informational purposes.

Original content

The potato processing industry has significantly increased contract prices for the coming crop year. This is causing the necessary shifts in potato cultivation in Northwest Europe, according to the NEPG. According to the organization, the area for seed potatoes in particular could shrink considerably, with consequences for the availability of seed potatoes in 2024. The stock of free potatoes that is still in the barn is relatively small. For example, the latest stock inventory of the VTA shows that the free stock in the Netherlands is 13% lower than last season and is even 20% below the five-year average. Similar sounds can also be heard from the other NEPG countries (Belgium, Germany and France). Processors have significantly increased contract prices for the coming season in order to have more raw materials available next season. According to the NEPG, an expansion of a few percent seems likely, the organization writes in a press release. The scope for a structural growth of the ...

Source: Boerenbusiness.nl