Brazil: Potato harvest intensifies, prices drop in all wholesale markets

This week (June 14-20), prices for special Agata potatoes averaged R$75/sc in the wholesale markets of São Paulo (SP) (-19.5%), R$61/sc in Belo Horizonte (MG) (-17.7%) and R$63/sc in Rio de Janeiro (RJ) (-18.7%).

The drop in prices is a result of increased supply, as the dry season harvest is reaching its peak and a large number of markets were harvesting this week.

Wholesalers in the three centers indicated that the majority of this week’s supply came from the Minas Gerais markets and that the quality of the tubers is good.

There is already supply from southwest São Paulo (SP), mainly in São Paulo’s wholesale markets, and the expectation is that there will be some availability from Vargem Grande do Sul (SP) next week, although the market will actually begin harvesting the following week. In the Paraná region, the dry season harvest continues, and Cristalina and Bahia are also maintaining a steady harvesting pace. Additionally, although with low volumes, some producers in other southern regions, who produce during the rainy season, also harvested this week.

For the coming weeks, the trend continues toward increased supply and devaluation, as winter harvests intensify.