Potato Cultivation in Malta down 41%

A reduction of 41% in land available for potato growing in Malta since European Union accession is being blamed on the EU’s higher standards of consumer protection, the rural affairs ministry has told MaltaToday.

Ministry official Karmenu Abela explained that the decrease in land can be attributed to Malta’s implementation of the Code of Good Agricultural Practice, which sets regulations on safety and consumer protection.

“Small amateur farmers who used to grow small amounts of potatoes on the side for the export market found that adhering to these new regulations, such as the grading system, was not worth the effort for them,” Abela said.

He explained that prior to EU membership there was a different approach which allowed lower quality potatoes to be sold and exported. “Before, potatoes which did not meet the required standards were allowed to pass. The grading which was done back then was superficial.”

Yet despite the decrease in export from 7,200 tonnes in the 2004/5 crop year, to 2,600 tonnes in the 2006/2007 crop year, the Maltese potato still enjoys a good reputation in export markets.

“Last year the Maltese potato fetched a record price in the Dutch market because the Dutch consumer still wants the early Maltese potatoes,” Abela said.

The export of early potatoes has continued to develop over the years to become one of Malta’s main agricultural export activity, involving over 800 small-scale farmers who grow their potato crop from certified seed potatoes, mainly imported from the Dutch seed potato company Agrico.

The spring-crop potatoes from Malta are very appreciated on the Dutch market, where Maltese potatoes achieve premium and distinct prices from the produce of other European countries.