Netherlands - Ten Cate: 'Lower contract price disastrous for potato cultivation prospects'

Published 2021년 1월 18일

Tridge summary

The potato sector in the Netherlands and Belgium is grappling with the financial and logistical impacts of the coronavirus pandemic. Mathieu Vrancken and Hendrik Jan ten Cate, directors of LTO Akkerbouw, express concerns over the future of the industry, with particular focus on the potential loss of the free potato sales season and the need for adjustments in acreage to balance the market. They warn of possible lower contract prices, emphasizing the importance of fair contract negotiations and the passage of rising production costs within the chain. The directors also highlight the challenges posed by the ban on Chlorine IPC for long-term storage and the need for alternative, costlier sprout inhibitors, which have increased storage costs and may result in a significant increase in the cost price per 100 kilos of potatoes.

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Original content

The trees grew to the sky and everyone seemed to be looking for the limit, Mathieu Vrancken describes the situation in the potato sector until the spring of 2020. 'But corona put us back on the ground quite cruelly. We didn't see that blow coming. ' In a joint interview with Nieuwe Oogst and the Belgian trade magazine Boer & Tuinder, Vrancken and his Dutch fellow director Hendrik Jan ten Cate of LTO Akkerbouw discuss the impact of corona on the future of the potato sector. Both directors agree that the aftermath of this crisis will continue for a while. 'Only when all major events can be organized again will there be some air in the potato market,' says Ten Cate. How can the situation in the potato sector in the Netherlands and Belgium be described at the moment? Vrancken: 'It is difficult. As long as corona plays tricks on us, we notice this in sales. In October I was still optimistic due to the moderate harvest and the improving processing figures for chips. But the new lockdown ...

Source: Nieuwe Oogst