Belgium
(Week 11): Fiwap/PCA market message:
Industrial varieties: Fontane evidently is a priority in the existing industrial demand (most factories are buying them). There’s a demand for export as well (various varieties of large sizes), to eastern countries, but also to North Africa aand Great Britain (friable quality).
General price, 35 mm +, min 60% 50 mm +, min 360 gr / 5kg of EPS, bulk, friable, selling price, excluding VAT, direct delivery:
Bintje: Quiet market (supply greater than, or equal to demand). 2.00 to 3.00 €/a depending on quality and destination; still little interest from the industry; unlike peelers, who target the best lots;
Challenger: Sustained market (demand greater than, or equal to supply). Price around 3.00 €/a;
Fontane : strong market (demand greater than supply): 3.00 to 4.00 €/a, depending on its destination;
Innovator : 4.00 to 5.00 €/a.
European physical markets
Summary of rates (source: NEPG):
Bintje plant: The supply of small sizes remains reluctant. Dutch plant, Class A, made March 2018, per 5 tons, in bags, excl. VAT:
Size 28 - 35 mm : 55,00 – 57,00 €/a
Size 35 – 45 mm : 31,00 - 33,00 €/a
Future market: EEX in Leipzig (€/a) Bintje, Agria and various related for conversion, 40 mm+, min 60 % 50 mm +:
Netherlands
Neither the weather (rather spring-like at first, (very) wet further on), nor inventory seem to influence physical prices. The PotatoNL quotation remained unchanged last week, marking even slightly higher for the "superior" Agria, and Markies varieties.
For the industry, actual transactions confirm Bintje ranges from around 3.00 €/a (flakes) to 6.00 €/a (for peeling), and the same goes for Agria and Markies at 6.00 to 8.00 €/a. The supply of perishable batches is present, and supplies the lower end of the price range; while the availability of top-cooking lots remains uncertain until the end of the season, which some might see as a promising chance for better prices. The export is generally too quiet, with small volumes going to Africa and the Caribbean, at low prices, paying only 2.00 to 5.00 €/a to the producer. Domestic fresh markets remain under pressure, with slight price declines: soft pulp varieties are between 4.00 and 7.00 €/a, and firm pulp varieties are between 7.00 and 11.00 €/a.
Quotation PotatoNL : also available on www.potatonl.com
France
Considering Bintje, the market remains complicated for the industry. The market is better for other varieties, but with prices remaining unchanged for the moment; between 2.00 and 5.00 €/a. Delayed delivery is reported (in particular for Innovator, with a price up to 8.00 €/a). In export, Agria and Markies are in demand for Southern Europe (friable quality), while trade to the Eastern countries is more dynamic.
Unwashed industrial potato, bulk, selling price, excl. VAT, North Seine, €/a, min – max (avg) (RNM) :
Germany
In the fresh market, producer prices have tightened. At March 6, they stood at 11.67 €/a (+ 3.0%) for firm pulp, and at 11.00 €/a (+ 3.1%) for mainly firm pulp/ mealy ( = soft pulp). Potatoes for the industry (fries) face firmer markets in Rhineland (and elsewhere in Germany) with Challenger, Innovator and Fontane, with producer prices between 3.50 and 4.25 €/a. Prices around 7.00€ are given for Agria and Innovator. Chips/crisps come at firm prices, especially in the east of the country. In organic potatoes, producer prices for fresh varieties are still around 48,00 €/a.
*you will have to deduct €1,00/a from these prices in their starting fields in the table above for sorting fees
Great Britain
Average producer prices (all markets) for week 9: 10,56 €/a. Market activity resumed after the recent cold snap. In the packaging market, the abundance of available supply allows buyers to choose the best lots at unchanged prices. On the other hand, the pressure rises for the batches of lower quality, at a course difficult to maintain. Wholesale markets are replenishing users of fried potatoes (fish & chips shops) at stable prices. The export to the Canary Islands is qualified as strong. The industry keeps purchase prices in the range of 3.40 to 5.65 €/a, depending on the variety.
The frost 10 days ago has damaged early crops on the Channel Islands (Jersey, etc.) and in Cornwall (extreme Southwest). On the other hand, the storages seem to have resisted the weather quite well. Yet the quality of the products transported during the cold weather remains uncertain, for example: the exported goods to the Canary Islands.
Poland, Ukraine, and Russia
Poland: mild prices, following continuous offers of troubled batches. Producer prices between 5.00 and 9.00 €/a.
Ukraine: Producer prices between 9.00 and 14.00 €/a, at an average of 10.50 €/a.
Russia: Bags made for wholesale come in at a price between 17.00 and 29.00 €/a, depending on quality and variety. We are probably at the peak of the season's prices.