Potato harvesting has just begun and McCain has seized the occasion to confirm their long term partnerships. The first harvests are of a good quality and yield is within the five year average. The season began with planting under good weather conditions (in March), and weather has overall been favourable to potato farming. But one must wait until the end of harvest to see what the potato market will be like this year.
For many years McCain has offered their farmers protection by signing up to a 3 year contract which guarantees a price for the potatoes. This allows the farmers to plan on mid-term and think of investment strategies over the 3 years on their farms. The farmers are given support from 14 field agents and technicians from McCain in France who are constantly working on improving agricultural practices and the development of potato varieties.
Through their 3 year contracts, their agents dedicated to the farmers, their qualified agronomists and their vast presence in France (3 potato production basins around their factories in Matougues, Béthune and Harnes), McCain is encouraging and stimulating the whole potato sector! In 2014 McCain is celebrating 33 years of working with their farmers. Out of the 1,000 partnered farmers, 20% are under the age of 30, this should ensure and reinforce the partnerships over many more years to come.