Large potato crops this season have made for low prices in Europe. Speciality potatoes, which usually command premium prices, have also been hit by this year's glut of product.“We are living through a very difficult season this year,” said Gerald Lemaire of Lucas Lemaire in France. “Prices are very low due to big yields in Europe.” The downward pressure on prices this year has been so strong that growers know they're not going to sell the entirety of their crop before the last of it has been harvested.
The majority of the potatoes sold in France are polyvalent, and they're mainly used in the kitchen for frying, boiling and sautes. Only about 30 percent of the potatoes sold there are tough-skinned, which are used for salads. Lemaire sells speciality potatoes, like Agata, Monalisa, Caesar, Universa, Liberta and Mozart, both domestically and for export throughout Europe. These potatoes typically command prices that can be as much as double the price for more common varieties. But with the abundance of product this season, only a few speciality potatoes have been spared from very low prices.
“The prices for all the main varieties have been pushed down,” said Lemaire. “Only high-quality Agata and good-quality Monalisa could escape the disaster. For the other ones, it's another story.”
For more information:
Gérald Lemaire,
Lucas Lemaire
Tel: +33 (0) 3 20 03 95 00
gerald.lemaire@lucaslemaire.com
www.lucaslemaire.com