"Potato price a third of what it was last year"

Last year around this time the first potatoes from Cyprus and Israel were already sold by Binst. Currently there is still a supply of potatoes. "As we do every year, we are closing our office in Brussels at the end of June, but there are still potatoes to be sold", says Michel Binst from Primimport. "We are thinking now that we will have to keep working until the second half of July. We still have supply from Cyprus."

Overall good quality
It was a difficult season with oversupply on all sides", concludes Michel. "There was too much production in the entire Mediterranean Sea area. More potatoes were planted everywhere and all with good yields. This makes it difficult and the prices begin to fall. The quality was difficult to distinguish because overall it was good this year. This is of course good news. This is how everyone would like it, but there was just too much. And still: in every country there are large amounts of potatoes that will not get sold.

Exceptional
The season began well. "Stable, just like every year. But starting around May pressure began due to the extra volumes. "The price is now a third of what it was last year. Last season was exceptionally expensive and this season is exceptionally cheap. There is still supply that needs to be sold. The last crates still need to be processed. It was a mediocre season in which the last two months we could not sell the potatoes for a good price. We will not be able to sell them for a good price in the following month either.

The Belgium, Dutch, and German harvests came earlier this year. In several countries there are still old harvests. I heard that in France you can just take old potatoes for free. The barns and coldstores need to be emptied. The crates need to be cleaned out because in a little over a month other potatoes need to go in", says Binst.

For more information:
Michel Binst
T +32-(0)3.303.14.53