Netherlans:

In May, a total of just 55,000 tonnes of Dutch consumer and industrial potatoes were exported. This means that exports are 10,000 tonnes smaller than in the same month last year, according to an overview by the Dutch Potato Organisation (NAO).

Compared to May 2023, the difference is even greater. At that time, 97,000 tons of potatoes went abroad. The demand for Dutch potatoes in the European Union has halved compared to the same month in 2023. There is now much less demand for potatoes in Western Europe, but that also applies to all other points of the compass in the European Union.

Without a fairly steady sales of almost 40,000 tons to Belgium, there is almost nothing left of the export demand. Other countries bought a total of 16,500 tons last month. And that quantity is exported to about forty countries spread across the world.

The sales to Central and South America are not even that much less than in previous years. Those small 3,400 tons are exported to at least ten different countries. So it goes in small pieces.

Buying appetite remains limited

More favourable prices could not entice African countries to buy in bulk either. Sales to this continent remained stuck at less than 2,800 tonnes. That is more than last May, but in the past 15,000 tonnes also went to Africa in this month.

The largest quantities are sold closer to home. Last month, 49,000 tonnes were delivered within Europe. Of that, almost 39,000 tonnes went to Belgium. About 5,000 tonnes were divided between Germany and France. The rest goes to about twenty other countries.

All in all, 493,000 tonnes of potatoes were exported to EU countries this season. This sales volume is therefore 110,000 tonnes smaller than in the same period last year. France and Italy bought slightly more Dutch potatoes, but the other EU countries are somewhat more reluctant to buy Dutch potatoes. Belgium takes the lead in this respect; this country bought 80,000 tonnes less than a year ago.