Europa: After a good year for potatoes, producers in Europe want to plant more

“We are coming to the end of a generally good year for potatoes, with high average prices that have been good for the sector, although we shouldn’t forget that there have also been moments of tension in the market due to supply shortages at certain times and, above all, the limited availability of seeds at the beginning of 2024,” says Juan Manuel Coello, Sales Director of Patatas Meléndez, which is currently mainly working with potatoes from France and with crops from storage from Castile-Leon’s harvest.

“We’ve had several really good potato seasons, so producers have been encouraged to plant more and even to switch from other crops to potatoes. However, at this time, in which we are already planning the early potato season in Andalusia and Murcia, we are facing the challenge of limited availability of seeds, just like we did last season,” he says.

“There is undoubtedly no better indicator of the good health of the potato sector than the willingness of growers to plant, but the limited supply of seed is a cause for concern. These seeds come especially from the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, and France, where producers are facing increasing difficulties when growing seed potatoes due to adverse weather conditions,” says Juan Manuel Coello. “So, in addition to the price of seeds becoming more expensive, we will also be forced to plant less of the varieties we want and plant other alternative varieties.”