Spain (Salamanca): The start of the potato harvest is postponed due to low prices.

The start of the potato harvest in Salamanca has been postponed, even though some plots are already ready for picking. This is due to the current high availability of potatoes, with shipments arriving from France and the end of the harvest in Andalusia, where prices have fallen to between 20 and 25 cents, after starting at around 50-60 cents. Planting was delayed due to storms, and the end of the harvest coincided with the start of the season in Castile and León, which maintained its usual schedule.

For now, there’s no rush in Salamanca, especially since something similar happened last year: in July the potatoes were ready, but the harvest was halted due to prices, and by mid-August the pace was still slow.

Marco Román, leader of the potato sector at the Association of Fruit and Vegetable Producers and Exporters (Asofruit), described the Andalusian season as "normal." There has been competition from French and Egyptian potatoes. This year, however, consumers prefer Spanish potatoes. "Distributors are in dialogue with consumers and are committed to local products," he says, "and that’s exactly what we need." In Andalusia, this is especially noticeable with the "verdete," a potato variety planted in September and harvested from December onwards, which Andalusian farmers are increasingly relying on. Román believes that the sale of French potatoes that have been stored for nine months but are still available on the market should be prohibited. The influx of these older potatoes at very low prices negatively impacts the price of new potatoes, he points out, and emphasizes the importance of differentiating this product for consumers. Regarding future prices, he sees an increase as unlikely due to the large existing supply.