EU: Never had potato growers had such a difficult planting season behind their back

Published 2024년 7월 12일

Tridge summary

The northern Europe potato sector is facing a challenging future due to increased processing capacity, favorable supply-demand ratios, but also rising risks. With a projected increase in potato hectareage in 2024, by 4% to 6%, in the NEPG zone, the season is riddled with emergence issues, heavy rainfall, and flooding, raising concerns about the size and quality of the harvest. Seed production challenges, decreased cultivation areas, and high blight pressure, exacerbated by the resistance of new Phytophthora strains and reduced fungicide availability, are causing significant concerns for the sustainability of the sector. Additionally, the market is becoming more competitive, with potential impacts on sales of processed products, as shifts in demand and competition from countries like China, India, Turkey, and Argentina are affecting the sector's profitability and future prospects.

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

Original content

"The context for the coming season will continue to be guided by the increase in processing capacity in Europe, and by a supply/demand ratio favourable to producers. But given the conditions of the current campaign, the growing risks affecting production, and market trends (competitiveness and consumption), this in no way guarantees a sustainable future for the sector. Many questions remain…" notes the NEPG. Planting season and upcoming problems Throughout the NEPG zone, potato hectareage will increase in 2024. Few official figures are available yet, but the increase could be up by 4% to 6%. Planting calendar lasted between 8 to 10 weeks this spring, with the very last plantings still underway last week! Current fields vary between full flowering and end of tuberization (with tubers as big as geese egg’s) to just planted! Emergence problems are very common with between a few percent to more than 80% not sprouting due mainly to rotting tubers, especially in Belgium and The ...

Source: Argenpapa