Poland: Potato Challenges
Potato production in recent seasons has been characterized by significant fluctuations in the quantity and quality of the raw material. Particularly significant changes in production occurred in 2022.
In the last three seasons, potato cultivation, primarily for processing and seed potatoes, has been limited. Furthermore, high prices in neighboring countries have limited imports. This has had a stabilizing effect on market prices, but it has also increased pressure on buyers to accept lower-quality tubers.
McCain Poland is a French fries manufacturer. We have been operating in the Polish market for over 25 years. We source our raw materials primarily through contract agreements with growers in the southwestern part of the country. What do we expect from our raw material recipients, and what quality parameters are important to us? We’ll discuss this in a few sentences below.
Stable production and quality
In recent years, supplier yields have ranged from 20 to 60 t/ha. Therefore, if we, as a buyer, plan deliveries at 40 t/ha, we will experience shortages of raw materials during low yields, and a surplus during high yields that we cannot manage. Such fluctuations are difficult to manage, especially when they affect a large number of growers.
Importantly, significant fluctuations in the quantity of raw material are usually accompanied by quality issues. Changes in cultivation technology have reduced the problem of tuber greening, and bruising and damage to tubers are easier to manage than they were 10–15 years ago. However, we are seeing a growing problem with low dry matter content and infestation by wireworms and other pests.
Seasonal water shortages are becoming a growing problem. While we can’t control the weather, we can limit the impact of drought by developing irrigation options.
Field selection will be a crucial element in production planning. Our observations indicate that the more frequently potatoes are grown in succession, the lower the yield potential and the greater the potential for quality problems.
We still have poorly developed storage infrastructure – for both market potatoes and seed potatoes. Storage reduces the amount of raw material that needs to be used straight from the field and ensures good quality in spring. Because most processors continue production from "old" potatoes in June, some of the raw material must be delivered from storage. A similar problem with good storage infrastructure applies to seed potato deliveries. This often leads to a backlog of propagation material supplies in April, the time they are planted.
The better the infrastructure on a farm, the easier it is to address potential potato management challenges. If a grower can store the raw material and has the ability to sort and select it, it’s easier to sell the raw material, especially during a season of overproduction.
Quality standards
Quality certificates are nothing new in the European market. Unfortunately, in Poland, a large portion of production is still not covered by certification. However, certification is required by end users (retail chains and distributors). Therefore, both trade intermediaries and processors are obligated to provide appropriate raw material documentation.
Competitiveness on the market
As in Poland, potato production has also increased in Germany, the Benelux countries, and France. This will intensify competition in the European market. Competitiveness in production applies to both potato production and potato products in the domestic and broader European markets. To maintain production in Poland, we must compete on quality and price. Phytosanitary restrictions are not helping. This poses an additional challenge for the entire potato sector in Poland.
Fuente: topagrar.pl
