The German Bundesrat accepted the changed agricultural import regulation on 26 October, 2016. The core element is the new import regulation for consumption potatoes. From 2018, the import quota shares of the import quota consumption potatoes (6,500 tonnes) will be distributed, half at auction and the other half into market share. The additional competition that will occur among importers will probably also benefit the consumers. In the case of a temporary increase of the import quota for consumption potatoes, the distribution will occur from import quota shares to market shares.
By auctioning half of the import quota of consumption potatoes (3,250 tonnes), the Bundesrat makes it possible, to a limited extent, for new importers to participate in the import of consumption potatoes. Without changing the quota quantity, competition within the consumption potato market will increase slightly. The German consumption potato production amounts to 180,000 tonnes.
