The harvest of Spanish new potatoes started about three weeks ago in the earliest areas of Spain. The campaign is developing smoothly, although yields are lower because of the impact of frost and the reduction of the acreage in southern Spain.
The production decline in Andalusia (Seville, Cadiz and Malaga) amounts to about 700 hectares, subtracted from the 10,000 hectares of 2015, and in Murcia the decline caused by drought has been estimated at about 400 hectares.
The good demand, together with the decline in production, is causing prices to go up; depending on the variety and quality, they range between 0.50 and 0.60 Euro per kilo at origin.
Export markets in Europe, and also in Spain, have a lively demand. Consumption is recovering and this is again sparking the interest of distribution chains in Spanish new potatoes.