News on Potato Stats, Trade, Prices from Europe

Ahora que ya se ve en el horizonte el inicio de la campaña de patata de Castilla y León, incluso en algunas zonas ya se han comenzado a 'quemar' las parcelas, parece el momento oportuno para analizar la situación del sector con Eduardo Arroyo, presidente de la asociación de productores en esta comunidad autónoma.

Potato farmers are in 'utter despair' after learning they will not be able to export their crops this year because of the coronavirus outbreak.

Europa: Autorregular el mercado de la patata podría generar perturbaciones negativas.

The foodservice demand for potato products has dropped with 50 – 60 % and the export markets have lost their potential, so the world-wide potato-processing industry has reduced their capacity and need for raw material. More than 2 million tons will probably not been processed in the NEPG mainland potato countries only.

La recolección en la Axarquía, que es la primera comarca en iniciar la cosecha, se desarrolla con normalidad y sin falta de mano de obra.

La pandemia mundial por el coronavirus multiplica la importancia del sector primario, las rutas de abastecimiento, el desarrollo y la reserva estratégica. La firma leonesa Patatas Hijolusa es uno de los ejemplos de gestión ante la crisis.

Consecuencia del Coronavirus: Los productores del Norte de Burgos y Palencia urgen al Ministerio a buscar ya una vía, porque se han cerrado restaurantes, hoteles y colegios, pero se han olvidado de otras consecuencias de la pandemia, como es ésta.

The sunny weather and the early start of the domestic asparagus season are particularly advantageous for potato imports. We are now hoping for a successful continuation of the campaign after Easter.

New potato harvest started in last week, in Portugal. Due to the higher temperatures recorded in February and March, compared to last years, the earliest varieties reached the commercial size in advance.

Last year, despite the difficult growing conditions as a result of the extreme heat and drought during both the 2018-2019 and the 2019-2020 seasons, the Belgian potato-processing industry once again improved the record for processed potatoes.

The ongoing coronavirus pandemic has dealt a blow to a, particularly Belgian market, as the country begins to see declining sales of the humble fries.

In mainland Europe the widespread closure of restaurants and other food service outlets has meant that demand for processed potato products has fallen significantly.

A surge in consumer demand for healthy home-cooked foods has seen a 'phenomenal' uplift in fresh potato sales – with increases as high as 70% with certain customers, according to Tom Keogh, managing director of well-known potato and crisp company Keogh’s.

An Irish farm has found an innovative way to keep Ireland fed during the coronavirus pandemic: a contactless drive-through potato service.

Kees Schouten, from Altena Potatoes: 'The question is how the market will respond to new potatoes in these turbulent times'.

Due to COVID-19 the free market of potatoes has completely collapsed. The PCA/Fiwap and the Belgapom price quotation has been suspended because of a lack of transactions on the free market of potatoes.

Desde la Asociación de Productores se llama, una vez más, al escalonado de las siembras para evitar el colapso del mercado en el momento del arranque.

With the COVID-19 situation developing over the past week demand across all sectors has been mixed. Demand from retailers this week has soared and is reportedly as high as the Christmas period when trade normally peaks.